kings good wil expressed at large both towards the Queene of Nauar and also toward the Admiral him self is sayd to cōtend in word greatly against the same Notwithstanding letters being often sent concerning the dayly speach of the king the Admirals mynd began by little and little to be persuaded and to iudge very well of the king in all things thinking that a yong man which was of a milde nature and a louer of peace coulde not dissemble and although he feared the subtile and craftie wit of the Queene mother neuerthelesse the matter was come to that poynt that the king woulde not hearken to hir counselles in dispyght of his brother the Duke of Anjou whose power he had greatly in suspition It is sayd also that mons Momorencie who was cousin germane to the Admirall preuayled much in persuading the Admiral And the king to serue his turne made great account of Momorecie cōmitted vnto him the charge of waightie affaires dayly talked with him about secret matters of priuie coūsel For there is an olde and continuall hatred as we haue oftentimes sayd betweene the houses of Momorencie of Guise in somuch that Momorencie thought that not onely the Admirals death but his also was sought and that for thys cause he was alwayes suspected and out of fauour with the Queene THE Guises therefore seemed dayly more and more to be out of fauour with the King contrariwise he seemed to vse the King familiarly and protested his singular good will towards the Admiral also he cōferred with him about waightie affaires for the exployting whereof he sayd he had neede of the help and ayde of the Admirall The Queene also according to hir manner protested that she desired nothing more than that all former matters beyng forgotten an assured peace might be established And the summe of all their communications and speaches was this that the Queene of Nauar the Princes and the Admirall should come vnto the King and be throughly perswaded of his singular good will towardes them By whyche meanes it might come to passe that a firme friendship mighte be made their minds being reconciled by familiar speache These things being dayly brought both by letters of Momorencie and also by speaches of messengers the Queene of Nauar was not onely throughly perswaded heereof but also the mind of the Admirall fully vanquished and ouercome IN this yeere there befell suche a sharpe colde winter that the Riuer of Rosne was frosen quite ouer all along the chanell and whiche was neuer hard of before Countie Volt a noble man went ouer the riuer on foote with his whole family and others commaunding his Mules to goe before him laden with cariage out of the countrie of Viuaretz into Daulphine IN Languedoc and in Prouance most temperate Regions the Oliue trees fygge trees Orenge trees and Pomegranat trees were almost dead with colde Vines also starued in many places to the great spoyle of most fertile coūtries Whereuppon ensued a great dearth which the godly interpreted as a forewarning of Gods great iudgements IN the moneth of March of this present yeere there was holden a generall Synode of the reformed Churches at Rochell vppon graunt from the Kings maiestie by his letters There came to this Synode godly and learned men from all partes of the Realme as Antoni Chande a man of noble parentage Nicolaus Gelazius and many others Thither came also Theodore Beza vppon request of the Princes letters to the Senate of Geneua and was made chiefe in that Synode being chosen according to manner custome by voyces It pleased also the Queene of Nauar the Princes peeres nobles of the Religion to be present in this assembly In this Synode were specially handeled the manner of reforming the Churches the principall poynte of doctrine Ecclesiasticall discipline a new manner wherof Iohannes Morelius went about to bring in a little before diuers other things also were hādled cōcerning certaine other newe formes in the Lordes supper ABOVT the same tyme the messengers of the Princes returned from the King hauing large giftes giuen them and bringyng with them ioyfull tydings concerning the Kyngs assured good will towardes the Queene of Nauar toward the Princes the Admirall and the other noble men concernyng publique peace and the expected matrimony and concernyng preparation to bee sent at the Kyngs cōmaundement into the low coūtrey which the messēgers sayd they thēselues shuld vnderstād by the kings own mouth willing thē to go with all speed vnto the king which was the principal point of their ambassage Hereuppon the Queene of Nauar thought that shee could not but go vnto the King fearing least if she should deny the same or should defer the tyme the King would be displeased seeing also M. Biron was come vnto hir strayte after the returne of the messengers with the same message from the king to the ende she might make the more speede Notwithstanding the wiser sort suspected hir going to whō the mariage in persons of contrary religion seemed daungerous and contrary to the expresse word of god Neuerthelesse worldly reasons preuayled that the lamētable tragedy might go forward that is to say that the iust prouidence of god might fynde a way to bring great matters about and to punishe both their sins he vsed both their sins after a certaine wonderful māner Therefore the Queene of Nauar came to the Courte with a great traine which at that time was at Blay For whose honorable entertainment it can scarce be tolde what great preparation was made by the King the Queenes the kings brethren his sister and by the whole Courte insomuch that euery courtier went forth to meete hir as to receyue that which aboue all other things had a long tyme bene desired The King for his parte shewed all duties of humanitie in welcomming the Queene of Nauar that by any manner of meanes he might THE chiefe and greatest busines was about the mariage the contracte whereof could not be made without the presence of the Queene of Nauar. The King Queene by all meanes vttered their good willes The mynde of the Queene of Nauar was throughly perswaded of the same they disagreed not aboute the dowry For a large dowry meete for suche a State was offered and the Queene mother was very careful for the bestowing of hir only daughter shee making a shewe as though she would spare nothing to further the same Many things were handled concernyng the contracte of matrimony concerning the auncient societie and frendship betwene the house of Valoys of Borbon and of Aubeter and very notable things were at large spoken on both partes concerning the restoring of the kingdome into his former state by the meane of a fyrme peace There remained two doubts which seemed to trouble both partes namely the respecte of contrary religion and the place where the mariage should be celebrated For the Queene of Nauar would not haue the same at Paris which citie she
about that place what had happened in the citie and so they agreeing together tooke them to the Castell of Mirebel which afterward did them great pleasure Mons Leuger at the first intreated the chiefe of the Religion very gentlely seeking to persuade them that his purpose was to gouerne them wyth peace and equitie vnder the protection of the Kyngs Edicts and to trouble no mans conscience In the tyme of this truce many that professed the Relygion stale awaye to Mirebel and fortyfyed the same out of hande By the meanes heereof Villeneufe being afterwarde recouered as we wyll declare heereafter dyd greatly further the affayres of the Relygious in Languedoc Of the whiche I speake particularly that men may vnderstande and see of howe weake and small begynnings the affayres of the Religion grewe and tooke so good successe The inhabitantes of Aubenac and Priuac followed the counsell of the cytizens of Nismes concernyng the wayes of defence Notwithstandyng that monsieur Leuger in the meane tyme vrged them to receyue the garrizon They neyther made playne denyall nor yet admitted the Kyngs garrizon but they so handeled monsieur Leuger that for theyr money they should buy and delay the tyme of receyuing the Kyngs garrizon For this cause the Consulles of Aubenac hauing obtayned truce at his handes wente to Villeneufe and payed the money required Notwythstanding one of them beyng a verie honest and ryche Citizen named Valeton and of the Religion also was helde captyue by monsieur Leuger against the lawe of Armes for that he came vnder truste and was put also to his raunsome euen as if hee had beene taken in battell the whiche beyng payed hee was helde captyue neuerthelesse vntyll suche time as Villeneufe whiche they of the Relygion had taken was delyuered vp to him as wee will declare heereafter These experimentes of Catholique falsehoode confyrmed the Relygious as it were in obstinate constancie in so muche that they chose rather to suffer any thing than to come into the handes of theyr false forsworne enimies This was the state of many places in Languedoc AND bycause they of Nismes were vrged oftentimes by the letters of mons Ioyeuse to abstayne from holy Sermons according to the forme of the kings Edict left by that occasion they might be founde giltie before the king after deliberation had of the matter they determined for the present necessitie not to haue Sermons in the day time but in the night It can not be expressed howe muche weeping and lamentation the people made at that last Sermon Yet neuerthelesse men came to the preaching of the worde more plentifully and earnestly than they dyd before for the more that afflictions doe increase the more precious is the word of God vnto the godly The inhabitantes of Viuaretz and Seuenatz folowed the example of the citizens of Nismes in those cities whiche they helde they had theyr Sermons in the night the whiche notwithstanding continued but for a fewe dayes NEVERTHELES monsieur Ioyeuse was not contēted wyth this argument of obedience oftentimes hee vrged them of Nismes to receyue the kings garizon the whiche if they would doe he promised them that within fewe dayes they should be both free from the same and also shoulde haue libertie and peace both of body and conscience The citizens of Nismes answered very copiously in wryting that they coulde not receyue that garrizon shewing the reasons wherefore not that they refused to obey the king but that they myght prouide for the safetie of their life and for the libertie of theyr conscience Bycause such occasions had already falne out as seriously required them to seeke the same at this time Therfore they beseech monsieur Ioyeuse not to interprete the same otherwyse than they purposed and meant That they desired nothing but peace and tranquillitie and to shewe their obedience to the king That if so be lawfull remedies might be prouided to take away theyr iust feare they were ready to yeelde them selues into the handes of the kyng theyr Lorde and Prince But if so be old treasons and snares were practised and if so be they could obtayne no more than they had obtayned in tyme past they were ready to suffer all manner of extremitie rather than that they would willingly cast them selues vpon the cruell and bloudy swordes of spoyling murtherers for that it was great madnesse for any man willyngly to cast him selfe into peryll Then hauing amplifyed the iniquitie of those murthers committed and also hauing declared the dishonestie of the foreshewed falsehoode they shew that it is lawfull for Christians both by al law of God and man to defende them selues againste force and iniurie and that they doe not beare armoure agaynst the kyng but against theeues and murtherers furiously abusing the authoritie of the Kings name without punishment That they dyd plainly perceyue what they them selues were and also what and howe great the force of their enimies was That present death was before their eyes but yet that they did not doubt but that God which is most righteous and iust would helpe them miserable wretches in due time that eyther they might defend their lyfe against the violence of murtherers or else by martyrdome myght dye an honest death the which should testify to al posterities for euer both howe great the iniquitie of their enimies was also howe great their constancie and vertue in standing strongly valiantly in a good godly cause That they cōmitted the successe of the whole matter vnto God and that this was their only ioy in so great perplexitie namely that they were vniustly afflicted also that they were encouraged by the testimonie of a good conscience the happy successe whereof they looked for both in lyfe and also in death ARMIES were prepared in the Kings name in dyuers places in Languedoc in Guian in Dolpheny in Prouance coūtreys bording vpō Languedoc for the war of Languedoc Notwithstanding they of Nismes were firste assaulted the whiche being destroyed the Catholiques thought that the rest would more easily giue place Also d' Anuil was looked for to come with a power for that he hath chief gouernmēt of Lāguedoc They of Nismes prepare for their defence al that they can they fortify the city ouerthrow the suburbes as hurtful to the same carry in victuals and do diligently set al things in order euē as if they should be besieged by the diligence and prudence of mons Clauson Notwithstanding Nismes was not besieged by the kings power the occasion wherof we wil shew in order NOwe we are in this place to note the state of Sanserre which we sayd the relygious held also at the first beginning of the cruell slaughter whose constancie in wonderfull extremities is worthy to be remembred for euer The history of these our times is ful of many and of such rare examples on both partes the whiche we will briefly note accordyng to our purpose obseruyng so much as we may the order of
season of sowre grapes whereof many folkes lyued came now in very good time Some did eate them rawe some baked in an Ouen some boyled in water and othersome fryed and sawced with Mustard and spices The ripe Bullaces and other wylde frutes that coulde bee gathered among the Vines and Bushes about the Towne were narrowly sought for and solde at the pleasure of suche as brought them Also the Thistles serued vs in steede of Ortichoks and Nettles in stede of Spinage To conclude this small discourse in lesse than three moneths during the siege of Sanserre there was eaten moe than two hundred Horses Mares Colts Asses Mules and other beasts of burthen so that of all the number that were in the Towne after the beseeging of it there was but one left alyue in stede whereof there was slayne an Asse that was caught among the Vineyardes At the beginning of August the dearth and famine had killed more than foure tymes as many in Sanserre in sixe weeks as the sworde had done in seuen moneths and a halfe duryng which time the seege lasted For in the Muster booke kepte of all the Souldiers and other people that were slayne from the begynning of the seege to the twentie of August as well with shot of Canon and Hargubusse as otherwise wer found but fourescore and tenne and I am sure that the number of such as died for hunger in the Towne and of suche as were about those that were shut vp in the same was more than foure hundred persons Who would not quake now at the hearing of such iudgements which God executed vpon the towne of Sanserre For they that were beseeged felt by experience how true the saying of the Prophet is that such as scape the Swoord shall be ouertaken with hunger and that the hande of GOD as the Psalme writer sayth stretcheth out whether soeuer he listeth Neuerthelesse let not suche as reade thys Booke thynke that they which were beseeged in Sanserre were the wickeddest and most abhominable sinners in the worlde For although they acknowledge theyr synnes before God and haue sufficient warning to walke better in hys feare heereafter yet is it not to be concluded that suche as are chastised most roughly are therefore moste wicked For as it is sayde in the Scripture the Chylde whome the father loueth shall not be exempted from the Rod. And as our Lorde Iesus Christe sayde to the Iewes of hys tyme Those vpon whome the Tower in Silo fell and those men whose bloud Pilate mingled with theyr Sacrifice were no greater sinners than other men But if they that haue knowledge of these things amend not theyr lyfe they shall all perishe miserably Whyche thyng I speake by the way to the intent that the seege and famin of Sanserre may serue for an example not only to suche as were at it but also generally to all men and specially to those that are Protestantes who haue iustly lost a parte of theyr libertie whiche they hadde to serue God openly and so hathe almost the whole Realme bycause they vsed it not to theyr profyte And therefore I must not rest so muche vppon seconde causes nor take vpon me to discourse of diuers thinges that haue come to passe in thys Realme within one yeere against the intent of our King. For God who gouerneth all things by his wonderfull prouidence hath guyded and directed the whole in suche wise according as he sayth in his worde that it is he that smiteth and maketh the wound and it is he that healeth it againe There is no more for vs to do but to profit our selues by the things that are past by amending our liues heereafter IN these great extremities the chiefe gouernours of the towne knewe not what to doe and to yeelde them selues into the hands of the enimie seemed vnto them more cruel than deathe it selfe they had sente messengers into dyuers places to craue ayde and succour of their fellowes but in vayne They which had some abilitie to helpe the miserable beseeged Sanserreans therefore refused to ayde them not that they misliked of theyr cause or thought them woorthy of so greate miseries but bycause they wanted money the whiche in this vnhappy tyme was hard to come by Notwithstandyng the Kings treasure was spent in leuying bands of horsemē and footemē to destroy the remaynder of miserable men They whiche had a good wyll to helpe were in so greate extremities that being brought them selues into greate perill were scarse able to withstande their assayling enimies When they sawe that theyr fyrst messengers could not speede of theyr purpose they sente agayne at the last namely the .24 of Iuly Mons Flore Mine and Crucian the chiefe Captaynes to prooue whether their presence might preuayle more to get help succors than their fellowes had done before These wente out of the Citie with greate perill within certayn dais wer taken slaine by their enimies AFTER newes herof was brought to the Sanserreans they notwithstanding determined with them selues to continue constant vnto the ende being still in hope to receyue succours Thus whyle they armed them selues to perseuerāce with new promises tidings was brought them that the king had taken peace with them of Rochell and Languedoc but that there was no mētiō made at al of them so that ther seemed to be no hope at al of ayd Therfore while contentiōs arose among the townesmen some thinking it best to persist other affirming that so to do was mad wilfulnesse and that they had rather dye once with the sworde than to make a long death with famine Mons Ioanneau the gouernour of the Towne came at the last to parley with Mons Martinenge a noble man in whome the Sanserreans reposed great trust The townesmen could scarsly be perswaded that they should escape with lyfe But when the Lord Chastre had at the fyrst by Mons Martinenge and afterward by letters perswaded the Sanserreans that euery one shoulde haue theyr lyues pardoned then all men were glad hoping for peace and that so greate miseries would haue an end at the last Therefore after certayne dayes conference with the Lorde Chastre they agreed together vpon these Articles FIRST that the Sanserreans and those which were come vnto them out of other cities of the Realme shoulde be vnder the benefyte of the pacificatorie Edict made the fourth day of August with the Rochellians that is to saye that they shoulde haue the free vse of the Religion which others expressed in the same Edict had Secondly that the townesmen shoulde be pardoned for all those faults which were committed in the time of this warre with faythfull promise made vnto them by the Lorde Chastre that no manner of dishonest violence should be offered to theyr liues wiues and daughters Thirdly that they shoulde bee restored to the possession of theyr goodes that they shoulde bee free from confiscation and that all sentences of confiscation already pronounced shoulde be reuoked Fourthly that the
grounde belonging to the fame was remoued out of his place and houses that were strongly builte and trees also that were greate and talle were ouerthrowne Also the Suburbes of Lyons called Aguilot was almost quyte ouerthrowen with this vyolence of waters and the greateste parte also of the stonewoorke of the Brydge vppon the Riuer of Rosne An armie was prepared to goe to Burdeaux and to the famous hauens of Broages the charge whereof was committed to Mons Strozzi and to Baron d'Guarde The rumor concerning the warre to come encreased more and more euen as fame is woont to preuent things to come But it was giuen out that thys warre should bee in the lowe countrey Therefore the Spanish Ambassadors made often complaints vnto the King as though by his maiesties commaundement warre should haue bene taken in hande against the Kyng of Spaine his soueraigne But the Kyng excused him selfe with wonderfull dissimulation insomuche that they of the Religion by so doubtfull an aunswere deemed that the Kyngs mynde was fully perswaded concerning the warre of the low countrey About the same tyme also Lodowic Nassau brother to the Prince of Orange came to the Courte accompanying the Queene of Nauar and entred into league with the Kyng in his brothers name the same being subscribed and sealed At such tyme as the Nauie was preparing in the Occean Sea appointed with six thousand footmen and a great number of peeces there went a common ieste abroade that the Nauie went into the Isle of Florida to fetch golde but in very deed the simpler sorte of the commen people sayde that this preparation was not only by the Kings sufferance but also by his expresse commaundement for the lowe countrey This preparation pleased the moste parte of the people very well and all men of both partes were ready to ioyne together in the same warre with so good will as if they had neuer felte the calamities of warre On the other parte a great number of Catholiques and of those of the Religion accordyng as they were ioyned together by affinitie and acquaintance went to another warre namely into Italy against the Turke against whom he seeking to winne the Isle of Malta they bended their whole force power Therefore men went thither with a great trayne of noble men of France among which Marques d'Menie brother to the Duke of Guise was one Notwithstanding the greater parte went to the warre of the lowe countrey Captaynes being sent into all parts of the Realme to gather such Soldiers as would serue in that war of their owne accorde and their wages was payde them out of the Kings treasurie THE delay of this mariage seemed to be very long to all men but especially to thē which looked for desired the same the cause whereof was made the Popes prohibition notwithstāding the kings letters oftentimes sent for licence and his request to the Cardinal Alexandrin for the same purpose THE fyrst day of May in thys present yeare Pope Pius the fyfth dyed the which offered hope to the King as he sayd to obtayn of the new Pope licence to ende the mariage Yet notwithstanding the Queene of Nauar plainly shewed hir selfe not to regarde any suche lycence for the which cause were made so many delayes and shee complayned hereof oftentimes vnto the King. SHORTLY after the Popes death being noysed the King commaunded the Cardinall of Loraine to goe to Rome to be present as it was reported at the Popes election The King sayd that hee had giuen him in charge to procure the Popes dispensatiō that once at the last that mariage might bee finished The Cardinall promising faithfully to accomplishe the Kings commaundement concerning the Pope altogether renouncing the Courte seemed in the iudgement of the wyser sorte besyde common reportes to prouide for his owne safetie least he him selfe should bee in daunger in so great fauour of them of the Religion or in the proclayming of a new war. All which things were so handeled by the craftie dealing of the Queene mother the King also framing both his countenance and also his speach accordingly that euen the moste fine wittes in the courte thought that there was nothing but truth ment IN the moneth of May there was a Synode at a noble Citie in Languedoc called Nismes of the reformed Churches To thys Synode by the benefite of the Kyngs letters came the Ministers and chosen men of the reformed Churches from all partes of the Realme The question was moued concernyng ecclesiasticall doctrine At this Synode were present Theodore de Beza Anthonius Chandoeus Nicolaus Gelazius and dyuers other learned and famous men Gelazius was chosen to bee the moderator of this Synode THERE was at this tyme a great famyne in Languedoc and about the Sea coast being of it selfe a very fruitefull soyle and it continued so sore that dead bodyes starued with hunger laye in the streetes For thys cause the Synode brake vp theyr sittyng at Nismes and appoynted a vacation bothe for that victualles wanted to serue so great a multitude and also to prouide for the poorer sort least they should be at charge for lawe matters THE peace which men nowe more largely enioyed had almost losed the reynes of al libertie in so much that he which now professed the Religion seemed to differ nothing at all neyther in speache nor in manners from the Catholike And now there beganne to be a great famine of the word of God mens myndes being annoyed with tedious curiositie and in many also of luke warme zeale in suche wise that a great number of those of the Religion could nowe scarsely abyde to heare a Sermon of ordinarie doctrine as not eloquent and courtly inough Thus by peace and ease things commonly waxe worse and worse Is it then any maruell if the Church be oftentimes afflicted and ouerwhelmed with troubles and calamities when it abuseth peace and the happy successe of things THERE is vpon the sea coast of Flaunders a citie called Vlishing standing verie conueniently for trafike and entercourse to Andwerpe The townesmen of this citie being wearie of the crueltie of the Spaniards slue the Lieftenant which was set by the Duke of Alba to kepe the towne and certaine of his garrizon and tooke the citie And when the Duke of Alba sent a newe supply to recouer the towne they valiantly repulsed them and set them selues at libertie By their example many cities of the lowe countrey were incouraged and the noble townes of Zeland and Holland were sayde to fauour the Prince of Aurenge and to desire libertie THE Queene of Nauar being poysoned to death with a payre of perfumed gloues as is sayde in the tenth booke the King Queene and the whole court seemed to take hir death very grieuously The King to put away all suspition of poyson commaunded that the dead body should be ript vp by phisitions and so the causes of hir death found out The phisitions taking a viewe of the
spente that time in deuising murders against the noble men of his Realme and at the last determined to kill Iulian whome in the sight of men he loued and reuerenced as a father Antonius Caracalla an enimie of Alexandria bycause certayne verses were soong agaynste him commaunded all the yong men of the citie to be gathered togither vnder the colour of a muster and to be slayne and that euery souldier shuld kill his host where he lay Thus the Citie beyng replenished with murders he had no other excuse to cloake the same but to write vnto the Senate that they had euery one deserued death and that this answer ought to suffice them Lysander the chiefe Captayne of the Lacedemonians calling fourescore of the men of Miletus togither vnder the colour of societie and friendship cōmaunded them to be slaine Seruius Galba shewed the like crueltie vppon sixe thousande Spanyardes Antonius Spinola calling vnto him colourably the chiefe men of the Isle of Corsica to make them a banquet commaunded their heads to be chopt off Charles the seuenth King of Fraunce after he had reconciled him selfe with the Duke of Burgundy and confirmed the same with a matrimoniall league had also solemnely sworne to forgiue all things past sent for him to the towne of Monterell vnder the colour of friendship and there slue him There are many other examples from among the whiche I haue taken these fewe to the ende thou mayest knowe that the King beeing a yong man hath diligently learned that doctrine whiche is contayned in the .18 chapter of that Booke which concerneth the doctrine of a Prince set foorth by Machiauell Euen as it cannot be vnknowen vnto thee that the kyng the very same day that the Queene of Nauar came to the Court of Blaij Iestingly demaunded of the Queene mother adding thervnto ▪ acording to his maner a blasphemous othe if he had not behaued himselfe exceeding wel To the which the Queene answeared agayne that he had begon very well but it woulde profit little except he went forward But I will sayth he addyng hys accustomed oathes bryng them euery one into thy nette These are the Kings wordes Heereby it may bee gathered what the ende of these familiarities and friendshippes will bee shewed towardes thee and to other noble menne of the Religion Looke diligently to thy selfe and bee assured that there is no other remedy for thee to escape theyr snares than to get thee away betimes from thys Court whyche is a most fylthy and vncleane Sodome THIS Booke beyng red the Admirall aunswered with angry moode the man in whose name the same was offered That these things serued not the time that they mighte haue bin spoken conueniently in time past but nowe there was no cause remayning of suspition God had altered the Kings mynde hee woulde neuer beleeue that suche falsehoode could haue place in his Kyngs mynde nay he was perswaded that Fraunce had neuer a better King than Charles the ninth and that although the Duke of Anjou were an enimie to the Religion yet at the last hee woulde forsake that hatred for the reuerence sake of that affinitie whiche hee shoulde haue with the King of Nauar. That a league was made with Englande into the whyche also hee minded to enter with the Princes of Germany whyche professed the Religion to shewe hys affection towarde the Religion myndyng to haue in hys company one of the sonnes of the Countie Palatine and some one of the noble men of Englande whyche was zealous in the Religion That he had gyuen his fayth to the Prince of Orange and to his brother to ayde hym agaynst the Spanyardes in somuch that he was the chiefe and efficient cause of the preparation of warre into the iowe countrey That in stead of the Armie whyche was committed to the conduct of Mons Genlis a newe supply was prepared that the affayres of the lowe countrey were in good cace That the Kyngs Ambassadour dyd dayly aduertise hym of the counsayles of the Duke of Alba. That the same Nauie of which Mons Strozzi and Baron de Guard haue charge is prepared for no other end than to remoue the Spanish nauie and to goe with speede to Vlishing to the Prince of Orange that there may be open warre in the lowe countrey Finally that the Kyng did all things with greate care for the confirmation of peace by the benefyte whereof there was no doubt but that the affayres of the Religion shoulde haue good successe Wherefore hee prayed him and all others of the same opinion that they woulde not trouble his mynde with those suspitions beeyng occupied with better thynges but rather that they woulde pray vnto GOD that he woulde bryng that to good effect whyche was happyly begun to the peace and tranquillitie of the Realme and hys Churche ABOVT the same time almost Mons Momorencie was returned out of Englande hauing entred into league in the Kings name with the Queenes highnesse of Englande concerning that marriage which was intreated in the name of Henry Duke of Anjou it is vnknowen what hindered the same It is said that hir maiestie vtterly refused the matche But howsoeuer the cace stoode I am perswaded that God of his singular goodnesse prouided for hir Maiestie and also for the Realme of Englande from the whiche hee hath turned away great calamitie THE Prince of Orange hauing gotten a great armie in the which were sayd to be twenty thousand footemen eyght thousand horsemen entred the lowe countrey At whose comming the Cities in diuers places were yelded vnto hym in somuch that within a short time he had in his power foure and forty Cities the greatest part of Zeland Holland Among these cities he had Mechline In the mean time the Duke of Alba beseeged Mounts in the which was Lodowic brother to the Prince of Orange with a great number of noble French mē Shortly after thys was the cruel slaughter of the Admiral and other noble men and gentlemen committed at Paris and in other places of the Realme whiche is at large set foorth in the tenth Booke of Commentaries already translated and therefore here omitted AFTER the murder the king commaunded the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde to come before him Who being in his presence he sayeth vnto them That after so long time of warres by which his kingdome hath bin greatly endammaged he hath found out at the length vndoubted remedies to take away cleane all the causes of warre and hathe therefore commaunded the Admirall to be slayne the wicked author of mischeuous troubles and that the same punishment was prouided in the Citie for al lewde and naughtie persons infected with vngodly superstition That he remembred what great harme he had receyued both of the King of Nauar and also of the Prince of Conde who were the Captaynes and ringleaders of desperate persons and seditiously helde warre against him to reuenge so greate iniuries he had nowe cause and occasion offered him
eyght leagues Wherevpon he returning belayed the countrey that suche as fledde awaye mighte bee taken Thus certayne of the noble menne of the Religion were preserued Also the Lorde Assier mons Sanroman Cugier and dyuers other noble men and Gentlemen were saued by the Guyses meanes To thys ende and purpose to laye all the enuye and blame vpon the king and people as though it had bin hys only purpose to reuenge his owne priuate spight vppon the Admiral and also that they whome he had saued in so greate peril might for euer by such a benefite be bound vnto him the which in deede came to passe THE Munday following whiche was the .xxv. daye of August the Sunne shined very bright and cleere Wherevppon the king looking out of his windowe of the Lower cryed with oathes that the fayre day did reioyce for the slaughter of the Hugonots Thus also sayd other of the court And Iames Carpenter by a publique bill called this bright day the lyghte of August About noone in the Churchyarde of Saint Innocent there sprang vp a bremble bushe which the Frenchmen call white thorne contrary to the time and season of the yeere Of the which when the people heard they ran thither in greate number to see this straunge miracle the like whereof hathe not bin seene Some say that this was made to growe by the practise of a certaine Priest whiche is not vnlyke But the common people sayd that God by a manifest signe did approoue the murther lately committed and that nowe both the Catholique fayth and also the kingdome of Fraunce had recouered theyr former glory and shoulde after this triumphantly flourishe Therefore the trumpets sounded in diuers places of the citie Notwithstanding it is certayne that the like kind of white-thorne or hauthorne sprang vp about the same time in other places also whether it were long of the temperatenesse of the season or no I knowe not Many seriously alluding to the names of the things affirmed that the white thorne sproong vp to the commendatiō of the Innocents not to approoue the murders bycause it florished in that place which had to name S. Innocēts But if so we mark this miracle what other thing doth the same signifie vnto vs thā this That albeit the Church seemed by this deadly wound to be quite slain yet notwithstāding it should come to passe that it being reuiued by a certaine singular extraordinarie power should flourish shuld firmely stand amidst these ouerthrowes It is not farre vnlike the myracles shewed to Moyses in the bushe the which though it were set on fire was not consumed THE King and the Queene determined by their priuie counsell to haue this murther proceede against other cities also thereby mynding to destroy vtterly them of the Religion least mons Momorencie by their helpe and ayde shoulde take in hande any newe enterprise He at this time was gone apart to Insuladam a towne of his dominion D'Anuil was at Paris who with the rest of his brethren had drunke of the same cup with the Admirall if they might haue bene brought altogether within the compasse of the same snare But it seemed not a sure and safe way to kyll one and to leaue the reste of the brethren aliue no so great power of the house and stocke of Momorencie The Thursday folowing being the eight and twentie of August the King commaunded a Iubile and a generall procession about the citie in the which he in his own person with the rest of the Court was present to giue God thankes openly as they sayd bycause their enterprise had such desired successe The same day the King caused it to be openly published that he was the authour of that murther forbidding the vse of the reformed religion throughout his whole realme vntill he had taken other order notwithstanding he sayd that he wold not haue these things so to be taken as though his Edictes of pacification were broken And this is the summe of the sayde late Edict The King desiring that all his peeres noble men gentlemen and others might vnderstand the true cause why the Admirall and his adherents were slayne of late in this citie bycause it may otherwise be reported than truth would he certifyeth all men generally That what so euer was done herein was done by his expresse commaundement and not for Religions sake or by any manner of meanes to breake his Edict of pacification which he woulde haue to stande in full force and to be faythfully obserued and kept but that he might preuent the wicked conspiracie of the Admirall and his felowes against his person his royall dignitie his mother his brethren the King of Nauar and against the Princes and other noble men which were in fauour with the king Therefore he giueth all menne to vnderstande that he willeth and commaundeth all those of the Religion to liue in securitie and peace at home with their families vnder his protection and garde as they had hytherto done And he giueth straight charge and commaundement to all gouernours of prouinces and other officers that no man doe oppresse them of the Religion eyther in life or in goods vpon paine of death Notwithstanding his will and pleasure is to take away those troubles and offences which may growe by sermons and other exercises of the Religion that none of the Religious noble man or gentleman of what state and condition so euer he be shall haue any priuate or publike assemblies for no cause vntill he hath otherwise prouided vpon payne of losse both of life and also of goods The which things howe well they doe hang together all men may see The King sayth heere that he would haue the former Edictes of pacification stande in force and yet neuerthelesse forbiddeth holy sermons and other assemblies vpon payne of death He affirmeth that he would haue all men to liue in peace and securitie at home and yet notwithstanding he playnely testifieth him selfe to be the authour of murthers And as touching the conspiracie made by the Admirall and the rest which were at Paris they themselues which take part with the Catholikes do scorne it as a forged lye GREAT murthers were committed at Lions and in diuers other cities so that within one monethes space there were at the least three thousande men slaine But of all the rest the wicked and cruell murther committed in the citie of Paris in the kings presence exceeded and farre passed the rest AND al gouernors of prouinces obeyed not those bloudy commaundements giuen by the king The Countie d'Tende answered the kings commaundement and his letters sealed with his priuie seale saying That he did not thinke this to be the kings deede but the deede of such as forged and pretended his name for that a fewe dayes before hee had receyued quite contrarie commaundements by the kings letters And he affirmed that he would obey those first letters as meete and worthy to proceede frō a king woulde fulfil the same
vtter destructiō Wherevpon the Kings officers were not so forwarde in theyr affayres as else they would haue bin thinking that they did but lose their labour in a matter most easie to be finished Notwithstanding an armie was prepared and the King by his letters instantly required Monsieur Beleur whiche was hys Lidgar in Switzerlande for the same purpose to sende with all speede a band of Switzers FOR there remayned as yet certayne cities whiche were held and garded by those that were left of the Religion as Rochel Sanxer and in Languedoc Montauban Castres Nismes Milliaud Aubenac Priuac Mirebel Ganges Anduz and certaine other townes of no fame in the territorie of Viuaueretz and Seuenats Notwithstanding it seemed to many yea and to the most part of such as professed the Religion greate folly ioyned with madnes after so great a slaughter almost of all that professed the Religion the kings power being nothing deminished hauing the whole kingdom redy at his cōmandemēt for thē to enterprise presume to defend them selues against the armie of so mighty a king after so great cōsternatiō feare whē as not only none of the Princes but also not one noble mā almost was lefte in Frāce which durst so much as professe the loue he bare to the Religion There were also and that not a few whiche sayd that it was great wickednesse vnlawful for subiects hauing no authoritie from princes or chiefe magistrates to beare armour agaynste their king though he were wicked that by the effect and successe it selfe it had appeared that the forceable resistance of them of the Religion hitherto was vngodly though it were collected by the authoritie of the princes and by lawfull titles both for that the king was in his minoritie and also bycause the breaking of the kings Edicts might be lawfully punished for that the kings wil was in expresse words declared That in this enterprise all things faile and that the king is a man that there wante Princes to whome the aucthoritie of gouerning the kingdome shuld belong and that the king doth playnely professe that he wil not hurt them of the Religion but that he commaunded that murder to be committed with purpose to destroy the Admiral and other the chiefe aucthors and instrumentes of the warre that the kingdome afterwarde might remaine in peace And that although in this matter he exceeded the rule of reason yet it was not lawful for the subiect to rebell against him or for the subiect to punishe his lorde and king for his offence There were also some which vtterly condemned the gouernment of the prince of Conde and of the Admirall in their actes and exployts of the yeeres past and through the enuie of the lamentable successe haue brought the whole cause in hatred And those false accusations of Carpenter and Pibrach in their Epistle to that famous man Stanislaw Heluidius were oftentimes obiected by exulcerated and gaulled mindes to make the remembrance of the former warres detestable So that a man woulde haue thought that the Religion had bin extinguished for euer in Fraunce and concerning this matter many of them disputed with odious wordes whiche in time of the former warres had highly commended the causes to take the same in hand And thus calamitie was counted for great reproch and shame such is the greate rashnesse of men in iudging of matters ALSO in those Cities whiche as yet had not receyued the Kings Garrisons these dissentions were very ryfe and the Citizens being distract and vncertayne what to do seemed not so much to delay and deferre the Kings Garrison as to spend the tyme to the ende that euery one myght get for him selfe the more conuenient oportunitie and occasion to flee and escape away or els to get fauour agayne thys was the common will and purpose of the Townesmen Notwithstanding God vsed the diligence of a fewe to bring the rest to a constant purpose and the feare of the cruell murders committed perswaded the people to defende them selues that for somuch as they were in vndoubted perill of death they myght if it so pleased the Lorde choose the more honest kinde of death by the lawfull right of necessary defence the Magistrate him selfe vrging them therevnto THEREFORE amidst so many and so great difficulties and extremities it seemed impossible that Religiō should stand by any manner of meanes and so euerlasting destruction seemed to be broughte vppon the Churches of Fraunce In these straits of great calamitie the prouidence of God of such beginnings as were so weake and so farre from the iudgemente of humane reason made a way for so much more glory as the disorder and confusion of all thinges was past hope of recouerie The chiefe Captaynes were gone the ayde and help of forreine Princes wanted yet notwithstanding the present helpe and helping fauour of God in due tyme fayled not Yet for all that there remayne suche greate things of so weake and feeble a beginning euen vntill this day that this same seemeth to be especially the counsaile and finger of God that the force and strēgth of noblemen beyng cut off he alone mighte be counted the author of his worke and mighte make manifest his manyfolde wisdome in this worke I may not dissemble and in making this a preface for the narration to come I swarue not from my purpose both those noble men and ringleaders which tooke vppon them the ordering and defence of this cause and also in part they of the Religion themselues in the former yeeres past offended many wayes Much disorder verily and many faults came by the ciuill warres in somuch that among those of the Religion the puritie of Religion beeing contaminated and defyled with true occasions of true accusations was euill spoken of For it is well knowen that the Admirall him selfe in those former warres protested not once but often That he had rather dye any kinde of death than he would be counted any longer a Gouernour and Captayne of such a leawde and wicked route of common souldiers most vnworthy of the bare name of Religion for such he knew many of his band to be God therefore iustly punished those mē which abused his Religion neuerthelesse hee dyd not neyther wyll hee leaue vnfinished the worke which he hath begonne But is there any man so blynde which seeth not what great punishments remayne for those which for the mortall hatred they beare to the poore Religion haue set to theyr helping hand to commit a most detestable fact seeing that to fyll vp the measure of extreme wickednesse all shewe of right and equitie is set asyde in so much that there remayneth no excuse for the same But to returne to our purpose agayne THEREFORE this fourth warre is more wonderfull than the three first bycause of most weake and feeble beginnings it had greater and more notable successe in so much that when the Prince of Conde the Admirall and other noble
men wyth helpe and ayde from forreyne Princes tooke part no suche worthy effectes ensued the reason and grounde of the cause neuer more euidently shyned from out of the deepe pit of extreme calamitie without any ayde of strangers and wythout the meanes of greater helpes than it shall appeare by the cōmemoration of this historie This then was the Kyngs state and this was the cace of them of the Religion after that butcherly murther committed on Saint Bartholmewes day being the foure and twentie of August For as we haue sayde that small remnant of them of the religion were brought to this exigent that seeing them selues far vnequall to matche with the Kings power they were ready of their owne accorde to yeelde them selues into his hande Notwithstanding when they sawe that murthers were committed vpon them of the Religion with no lesse crueltie than before in dyuers cities all they which were in the Kyngs power and in the danger of the Catholiques beganne to loke about them and at the length to deuise some honest way whereby they myght defende them selues So that in the deepe desperation of all thyngs seruing for necessary defence desperation founde out a way and a sure and certayne persuasion to bring the same to effecte supplyed most effectuall reasons of defence in this confusion and nakednesse The happy defence of Rochell dyd not a lyttle incourage the myndes of other men to fyrme and valyant constancie Fyrst of all therefore we wyll begynne with Rochell and then we wyll speake seuerally of the rest in order MONSIEVR Strossi and the Lorde de Guarde receyued charge to take Rochell and we haue oftentimes sayde that a nauy of shippes was prouided there already to the same end They then goe about to get in their souldiers into Rochell sometyme vnder the coloure to buy marchandise and sometime vnder the colour of visiting theyr frindes Notwithstandyng they of Rochell were alway vigilant and warie and hearyng of the cruell murther committed at Paris caused more dilygent watche and warde to be kept In the meane tyme monsieur Strossi ▪ and de Guarde vrged them of Rochell with the authoritie of the Kyngs letters both to receyue into the towne the Kyngs garrison and also to gyue vnto them great plentie of victuals to furnysh their shippes This they of Rochell denyed and withstoode that the nauy myght departe from thence affyrming that they dyd nothing agaynst their dutie and auncient pryuiledges by whiche they were exempted from al garrisons sauyng from that which they should leuie within their owne citie and wherby they had leaue to defende them selues by force of Armes and that they coulde not spare any of their prouision of victuals Then they which were for the Kyng founde fault with the townesmen of Rochel bycause many came vnto them from diuers partes of the realme and were receyued into the citie without any let To this they of the towne answered that they admitted no strangers but onely the inhabitantes of the realme whiche came about their affayres and marchandise the whiche was nothyng contrarie eyther to their office or custome whenas the Kyngs souldiers had leaue to come into the citie They were also required by the Liefetenant of Guian mounsieur Monpaz which was their neighbour not to shew thēselues obstinat wilful in refusing to receiue the kings garison shewing them that the king was carefull for their safetie and that therefore he dyd so prouide for them and that it was not lykely that he woulde bryng any detryment or dammage to hys Cyties also that hee had iustly punyshed the wyckednesse of Rebelles by the slaughter at Paris not minding continually to be seuere against his subiects Therefore he affyrmed that it was more for their safetie to deserue the Kings fauour by obedience There came certayne noble men of the Religion to Rochell from those places whiche were nearest adioyning therevnto as from the territories of Santonge Onic Poictou and Lymosin which sought the safetie of their life there came also about these fyrst beginnings about fiue and fiftie Pastors or Ministers of Churches and of the common sort of people about a thousande and fyue hundred souldiers out of dyuers parts of the Realme and many which were escaped from the slaughter of Paris The nynth and eleuenth daye of September there was appoynted at Rochel a common and solemne fast to be helde the whiche rite the Church obserued in olde time in time of trouble to a laudable and fruitefull ende They of Rochel hauing obtayned at the hands of Monsieur Strossi and Baron de Guardes safe conduct sent messengers vnto the King beseeching him that the nauie mighte bee remoued from that parte by his commaundemente for that the countrey thereabout had receyued great dammage thereby THE King had gyuen commandement to Monsieur Biron a noble man to gouerne Rochel who as we haue sayd before had taken great paynes in the former warres about the intreatie of peace This noble man deliuered to them of Rochel very friendly and louing letters by which he exhorteth them to obey the king and to commit them selues quietly to his trust bycause he had receyued authoritie from the king to gouerne them in so doing they shoulde see by proofe that he esteemed nothing more than of their safetie Strait after this came Monsieur Audenarz a noble mā also in the Kings name with very large letters of the Kings in the which the king exhorted them to shewe theyr obedience giuing them to vnderstande that hee determined in his minde nothyng more than to keepe and defende them in their houses in peace and safetie vnder the gard warrant of his Edictes requiring them herevpon to acknowledge him to be a true and faythfull interpreter of his owne minde Monsieur Audenarz being admitted into the Senat of Rochel perswaded very much to this ende and purpose certifying them of the singular good will of the king towardes them He promiseth that the king wil graunt them the libertie of Religion vpon cōdition that they would receyue Monsieur Biron and woulde graunt free recourse and trafique to all straungers whatsoeuer inhabiting the realme To this they of Rochel answered the king by their letters the true copie whereof is as followeth The answere of the Gentlemen Captaynes Burgeses and other beeing in the towne of Rochel to the commaundements that haue bene giuen them in the name of the king to receyue garrisons WE the Gentlemen Captaynes Burgeses and others now being in the towne of Rochel doe giue answere to such commaundements as are giuen to vs in the name of hys Maiestie that we cannot acknowledge that the same which is signified vnto vs and the publishing of the proclamation requyred at our handes doe proceede from his Maiestie And thereof we call to witnesse his Maiestie himselfe his letters of the .xxij. and .xxiiij. of August his owne signet and the publishing of the same letters by which his sayde Maiestie layeth all the fault of all the
also to the rest of the reformed Churches they also earnestly requyred this thyng that consideration of them might be had in like manner Forsomuch as they could do nothing of thēselues without theyr cōsent And thus they parted The day followyng Mons l'Noe beyng beset with sixtene horsemen hauyng encountered and charged a greater troupe and was pursuyng the chase was so neare hys death that if a Captayne had not put hymselfe betweene the enemie and l'Noe he had bene slayne But the Captayne thereby purchased hys deaths wounde The deputies of Rochel beyng returned into the citie tolde the whole matter vnto the Senate The Senate called before them the Pastors of the Church to haue theyr iudgement concernyng these matters The Pastors answeared That for so much as they were demaunded of those thyngs whiche specially belonged to conscience and to Gods prerogatiue it was a matter of great wayghte and therefore that they ought not to make answere to the same before they had craued wisdome of god Affirmyng that peace was to be wished but not such a peace as should be more perillous and mortall than warre as might playnly inough appeare by those former and late examples That it was not likely that the kyng commyng vpon them with his whole power proclaiming open warre would make conuenient and profitable conditions of peace notwithstandyng that they ought to endeuour themselues to forslow nothyng that might be for the peace of the Churches seing they sought not warre but their needefull and necessarie defence Notwithstāding that those conferences parleys did not seeme to be safe and without peril wherfore they thought it better to deale by wryting whereby they might also haue a more conuenient meane to deliberate Furthermore that they ought to haue a consideration of the common vtilitie of all Churches and that therfore they ought to do nothyng for their owne priuate cause except the vse of the same peace shoulde be extended to other Churches The next day the people were called togither that a finall determination might be made concernyng this matter And the people lyked of that iudgement of the Pastors wherof we haue spoken euen now This assembly was scarse dismiste when as the kyngs Armie was approched the gate of the citie whiche ran forceably togither on a heape to breake open the same Wherevpon they of the towne brake foorth and repulsed the kyngs power by little and little and ayde commyng still on bothe partes there was a sore skyrmishe at that place bothe sides valiantly quittyng themselues This skyrmishe continued verye whot the space of sire houres Monsieur l'Noe was in great perill of his lyfe his brest plate beyng broken with diuers violent strokes and his horse slayne vnder him The speedy commyng of the night ended this battayle Of the townesmen twelue were wantyng and seuen and twentie were wounded But of the kyngs parte there are sayde to be a hundred and fiftie slayne Wonderfull was the boldenesse and courage of the women in the middest of the fight comming almost into the daunger of the conflict bringyng to suche as were wounded wine and other comfortable things The nexte day whiche was the last of Februarie the thundryng Cannon shot beganne to batter the walles and gate of Cogne Wherby the cōsultations of the disagreyng townsmen were disturbed and constrayned they were by necessitie to defende themselues The same day the townsmen gaue an assault hauing mons l'Noe and Norman theyr Captaynes at the whiche assaulte many on bothe partes were slayne Mons l'Noe contrary to the agreed and concluded determination brought to passe that the sayd determination being reuoked in the publique assembly of the Senate and people it was agreed that the kings Deputies should be heard againe that the matter might be rather ended by peace than by warre Wherevpon Monsieur Strozzi and Mandreuille were sent into Rochel for hostages And Monsieur l'Noe and Iames Henrie Mayre came vnto the Duke of Anjou as it was agreed by the senate and people Neuerthelesse the batterie proceeded agaynst Cogne forte whose fortification within fewe dayes were beaten downe When the Duke of Anjou had hearde the Deputies of Rochel answered in the Kings name that the kyng woulde adde nothyng vnto those former conditions rehearsed vnto them already by Gadagne That if they were wise they woulde imbrace them betymes whyle the kyngs grace and goodnesse was offered vnto them and not to presume vppon vayne confidence to haue helpe and ayde out of Englande With this answeare they of Rochel returned to make reporte and then came agayne to the Kyngs campe requyryng that bothe the Citie and also the territorie of Rochel mighte haue one and the selfe same vse of the Religion and also that the same benefite mighte belong to the reste of the Churches dispersed throughout the Realme To the which Countie de Adretz made answer that the kings pleasure was to haue the Citie onely partaker of that benefite as for the other Churches that he woulde prouide for them at his owne pleasure and accordyng to hys wysedome willyng thē of Rochel to receyue the benefite offered the which the kyng would afterward graunt vnto theyr fellowes This answere was not liked The which being brought to the Citizens they al agreed that al wayes of defence lawful were to be sought that rather than they should runne into present peril they ought rather to prefer iust warre than to imbrace reprochful and suspected peace for God would defende theyr cause Whyle these things were in communication the greate gunnes shooke and battered the walles of the towne The townsmen also hauyng theyr peeces and shot well defenced with bulwarkes and rampyers discharged lustyly from the Citie in somuch that many on the kyngs parte were at diuers tymes hurt and slayne Among the reste from that forte which we sayde is called l'Euangele there was discharged a Canon shot whiche runnyng through hardell trenche not sufficiently fortified with earth slewe Duke d'Aumall as he stoode priuily behynde the same beyng vncle by the fathers side to the Duke of Guise And so the funerall exequies of thys noble peere was ioyned with the dayly slaughters of noble men and common souldiers Alwayes the thunderyng shot went off agaynst the townsmen laboryng to repayre the breaches of theyr walles notwithstandyng to the smal hurte of the townsmen busily occupied there aboutes Neuerthelesse a truce was taken for one day for a parley duryng whiche tyme the dischargyng of shot was forbidden on eyther parte Monsieur l'Noe and Meniuuille went foorth to the parley in the name of the townesmen The day followyng the thundryng shot wente off afreshe and the townsmen makyng an assault to Tadon made a light skirmishe in the whiche they had good successe and in the dead tyme of the night the townsmen clothyng themselues with whyte shyrtes wente foorth and had taken the trenche of defence when they were repulsed by the kyngs souldiers and many beyng slayne and
the name of authoritie and power to the Maior who notwithstanding did nothing of him selfe without the aduise of the Senate THE same day the kings side prepared a fresh for the batterie the townsmen with no lesse haughtie courage of mynd discharged the thundring shot from the fort l'Euangile against the kings campe to the great annoyance of the same The day folowing the kings ordinance went off so thicke that the roaring stroakes thereof could scarse be numbred and so helde on all the next day The townesmen in the meane while by night left nothing vndone to repaire and fortifie the breaches of their walles Countie d' Retz was stricken behynde in the reynes of the backe with a Calieuer shot beyng come out of the couent of the Engynes The same night mons Normā made an inroade euen vnto the enimies trenche notwithstanding he was constrayned to retyre againe into the citie with losse of two of his men beside those which were wounded The day after he came again to the same place purposing by ouerthrowing the hardels of the enimy to kil many of thē but he had like successe as he had before BVT for so much as we are to describe greater conflictes in this noble siege being such as our age hath not seene and so much the more noble for that after the finall destruction as it were of the Religious the wonderfull constancie of the Rochellians had most happy successe by the wonderfull goodnesse of God we thinke it meete and conuenient to our purpose to speake somewhat more largely and particularly to shewe the exploytes and actes of euerie day seuerally The sixtene day of Marche the kings parte made baskets ouer against the bulwarke l'Euangile planting those peeces of ordināce which were in the fort of Corceile by which we sayd the passage into the hauen from the sea was stopte betweene them The townsmen fortifie that part against the batterie Mons Fontene was chiefe captaine of the watch and ward of the Mines commonly called Cazemates which were made in the dytch seruing to make eruptions and to repulse the enimie from the walles He taking with him tenne of his souldiers came vnto that part of the kings camp which was neare vnto the Lazerhouse where he founde twelue noble men sitting at supper whome he slue notwithstanding that they promised him very large raunsomes to redeeme their lyfe and when he had doone returned in safetie vnto the citie agayne This was doone in the night of the same day The seuententh day was spent wholy in giuing an assault The day folowing when the kings campe went about by trenches and baskets to approch more neare vnto the walles there ensued a sore battell the townesmen comming out of the towne to withstand the enimie The next day after the townesmen came again to the same fortification and for all that the enimie coulde doe they ouerthrewe their baskets burdels and tumbled great woolpackes full of wooll into the ditch and slaying at the same place three score of them chased the rest to the castell Palereau The same day at nyght certaine shot of the kings campe came into the trench of the bulwark l'Euangile taking some of the townsmen vnawares slue them The twentie day the batterie was begon againe with fortie three great peeces which were planted in seuerall places notwithstanding the walles of the city were not much impaired the roofes of houses in diuers places were pulled downe whereat many a vayne shot was discharged There were told the same day a thousand and fiue hundred stroakes The two and twentie day a newe assault was intended to be giuen about three of the clocke in the afternoone but bicause the towne beganne to discharge against them whereby many of the Kings campe were slayne they stayed their former purpose and encountred the towne with mayne shot vntill sixe of the clocke in the euening It was told the townesmen that the enimie had determined the same day to winne the tower which stoode betweene the gate Rambalde and the Bulwarke l' Euangile and the treasons of the citie were feared Therefore the townsmen prepared them selues for defence appoynting in diuers necessarie places watch and warde All this while the townsmen tooke great paines in making bulwarks in the citie of earth compact with turffes and stakes to bynde the same One of the kings mynes was ouerwhelmed to the greate spoyle of the pioners That nyght there was in the citie a great earthquake the which some say was the cause of the ouerturning of the sayde myne but in my iudgement it is vnlikely From the last day of Februarie vnto the sixe and twentie of this moneth there were tolde twelue thousand and seuen hundred stroakes of the kings gunnes The same daye by the commandemente of the Maior one Chale whose name was famous in Rochell and whome we reckoned before among the captaynes of the warre went out of the citie for that the Rochellians had him in suspition and so came vnto the kings campe The day folowing the townesmen made an eruption vpon a troupe of horsmen which they discouered to stande at Tadon and after a skyrmishe by which both partes sustayned losse they retyred The eyght and twentie day of Marche the whole armie of the king was set in battell araye euen as if they woulde haue giuen an assault to the gate of Cogne and to the bulwarke l'Euangile Notwithstanding after they had for the space of one houre discharged shot one against the other with the losse and hurt of both partes they sounded the retraycte About sixe of the clocke in the euening the kings campe returned agayne and placing a troupe at Sannicolas gate the rest stoode in battell aray at Cogne gate Their purpose was to take the Cazemates whiche were in the dytche And for this cause fortie of the kings souldiers went downe into the dytche notwythstanding they were so repulsed by the townsmen that many of the kings campe fell into the ditch In the meane time the great gunnes thundered both from the towne and also out of the kings campe from which fortie shot were discharged The day following was spent onely in giuing an assault But the next day after that there was a sore battaile fought betweene the Rochellians and the kings campe The cause of the battaile was this Three souldiers went out of the towne and set vpō the first watch of the kings camp Then the whole campe armed thēselues By by there came out of the towne others to rescue the first wherupō the enimie came on by heapes vpon whom the Caliuer shot came as thicke as haile and such a tempest of great shot droue agaynst the threesquare battaile whiche was set in aray wedgewise to pearce into theyr enimies that of the forefront of the same fiue with targettes were slaine and after them many other souldiers There appeared at Tadon certaine horsmen at the first but few in number to allure the townesmen
woulde haue made a sufficient armie by this meanes also the catholikes power was weakned Vicount Pauline was made Lieftenant of Montauban and mons Sanroman of whome we spake before being come from Switzerland to Nismes was made Lieftenant of the same after he had taken his othe The comming of Sanroman brought to passe that the discordes of the captaynes disagreeing among them selues hitherto being appeased their affayres had more happy successe in Nismes and in the cities adioyning therevnto all men obeying with all their heartes the commaundement giuen by him and also by the Senate Therefore nowe at the last necessitie and experience the schoolemistresse of fooles taught the religious for their necessary defence a new kind of order not vsed in the time of the former warres and more conuenient And these things wer handled very well in the assembly or conuocation at Milliaud These things being thus prouided to establish a certaine order the men of Languedoc also determined in this conuocation to require certaine things of the king for the confirmation of peace for the former Edict did not satisfie them as we saide before neither did the name of peace so moue them by and by that without consideration and respect all conditions were receiued bycause the light credit of the Princes afore time taught them to beware Therefore they sente vnto the king Mons Yolet Philip Cherenac and others whiche were actiue and prudent men The summe of their message was To giue thanks vnto the king for singular good will which he declared that he had to establishe peace in his kingdome That the same remedy was so necessarie the kingdome by so long warres being in decay and almost ouerthrowen that it could not be any longer deferred without present destruction That they were minded to shew all obedience to their Lord king But bycause the tragicall and lamentable memorie of the murders lately committed on S. Bartholmewes daye doth shewe how dangerous a thing it is for the king theyr soueraigne to be ruled by the euill counsayles of wicked counsaylers they most humbly beseeched his maiestie not to thinke it strange that they to whom it specially belonged sought the most conuenient wayes for the establishing of peace That it was lately broughte to passe that the king by the practises of euill counsaylers contrary to hys good nature declared him selfe by his publique letters to be the author and chiefe cause of that wicked fact the whiche notwithstanding a fewe dayes before he openly detested the contrary shew whereof was too shamefull in the sight of al nations That they were perswaded of his own good will towards them but they greatly feared least his mind shoulde be led by his counsaylers as aforetime and that therfore they would prouide for them selues and seeke to saue their liues and the liues of their friendes beeyng taught by the pitifull example of their fellowes THESE things being vttered First of al they require that for the securitie of peace and to auoyd newe troubles they might keepe those Cities whiche they had already in possession with their owne garrisons of men and the same to haue their wages payed them out of the kings treasurie Secondly that beside those Cities the king woulde giue vnto thē two Cities in euery prouince of the Realme which might be thought most meete and conuenient in the iudgemente and opinion of foure men two of the whiche foure to be Catholiques and the other two Religious and the same two Cities also to haue garrisons of the Riligious maintayned in them by the kings pay Thirdly that the vse of the reformed Religion bee free through out the whole Realme without exception of any place for al those which shal require the same of the king Fourthly that they of the Religion may haue graunted vnto them new parlaments in euery prouince and that by suche iudges as imbrace the reformed Religion Fifthly that to maintayne the ministers of their Churches they may haue leaue togather those tithes which arise of their lands Last of all that they whiche were the authors of the murder committed on Saint Bartholmewes day mighte be punished as murderers spoylers and disturbers of the common peace These seemed to bee large petitions and in very deede their speech to the king extēded farther in so much that the Queene saide in displeasure and anger That the prince of Conde him selfe if he were aliue and were euen in the very middest of the kingdome with twenty thousand horsemē and fiue hundred thousand footemē had also in his hands the chiefe Cities of the Realme would not craue the one halfe of those things Wherefore shee came to euery one of these messengers sought to win thē sometime by faire promises otherwhile by threatnings But it was so prouided in the assembly at Milliaud that the messengers of themselues should do nothing but only offer the letter vnto the king should refer the kings answeares vnto the Senate that the whole matter mighte bee allowed by the authoritie of the same Dayes of respit wer takē for a moneth a halfe so the messengers being honorably receyued into euery Citie returned home againe The Catholiques coulde scarsely be perswaded but that the most mightie princes fauoured the cause of the Religious and pretended that the great libertie which the Religious had was the cause why they so thought The king was said to desire peace being warned by the successe of the warre at Rochell and in Languedoc In the meane time preparation was made for the voiage into Polonia the Queene and the new King prouiding al things for great magnificēce notwithstanding they had not money according to their wil. About the same time in the which the Ambassadors of Polonia wer at Paris a very bold wicked fact was cōmitted Ther was a certayn Citizen in Paris of greate wealth named Nantoilet a Catholique one of the chiefe magistrates of the Citie To this mans house came the new king of whom he was very courteously entertayned But the Duke of Aniou being in the house begā to quarel with the said Nantoilet first with words at the whiche the other had great marueile Then his seruāts begā to spoile caried away his plate iewels brake opē his cofers and caried away a greate masse of money Thus the outrage of murders brake the raines of shame running into all impudent boldnesse AFTER that Harlem was taken the Prince of Orāge tooke Alcmar a Citie of Holland the Citizens being deuided within thē selues at what time one gate was takē by that part which held of the Duke of Alba and bāds both of horsemen and footemen sent from the said Duke wer now within the vew of the Citie Notwithstāding the Prince of Orange putting to flight the sayd power enioyed the Citie The Flisshingers tooke the Castell Ramekins the fifth of August Also the sayd Flisshingers the thirtenth day of the same moneth encountered with the nauie of the
ende of the moneth of December ORANGE was helde by Berchon in the name of the Prince of Orange and Berchon with the inhabitants of Auinion which bordered about him and of Venais also abstayned of purpose from warre Notwithstanding many of the Citizens of Orange hauing M. Glundag a valiant man of Daulphine their Captayn tooke the Castell and towne of Orange Berchon mistrusting no such thing who wēt straight way to Cortes a litle towne in the territorie of Orange After this M. Glandag warred very sore against Auinion against the inhabitants of the countie robbing spoyling them yea and the marchantmen as they went about their affayres were robbed in the common high way The sayd Glandag him self for all this boasted that he did not like of the reformed Religion and that only the poynt of his sworde was religious meaning therby that he did not embrace the doctrine of the religion but the cause of the religious By such like examples great offence was taken against them of the Religion THIS newe yeere comprehendeth the beginnings of newe and waightie matters with diuers successe both of king Charles the ninth by whose strong and florishing youth infinite victories to the vtter destruction of the religiō were prognosticated and also by the death of Charles Guise Cardinall of Lorhayne a notable auncient enemy of the reformed Churches which we will set downe according to our maner and purpose MANY of the noble men enuyed the gouernment of the Queene for whatsoeuer was done by king Charles was attributed vnto hir for that she as it is said being through effeminate and rashe hastines moued to displeasure one whyle agaynst some another whyle agaynst other some sought by all meanes possible to hurt those which might in any case withstand hir gouernement and for that she being a woman and which was more a straunge woman should haue the gouernment of the state so many yeares already against the ordinance of the auncient lawes of France and to the great reproche of the realme of France Therefore she had prouoked many of the noble men to hate hir especially bicause the authoritie of the nobles to whom the prerogatiues of the realme pertayned being by hir taken away and translated to hir selfe alone she aduaunced base borne men and straungers to great honour and to large riches and possessions especially Countie d'Retz who being the sonne of a Florentine Promoter called Gordes and his mother a famous harlot himselfe also at the first being but a seruant to a Forraiger came to so great riches and authoritie that he was not only checkemate with princes and noble men but also far excelled them Now bicause these large promotions gifts could not but be drawen out of the kings treasurie that is to say from the bloud of the miserable people lately oppressed with intollerable burthens of tributes many of the noble men dayly complayned that the common wealth was betrayed and troden vnder foote And the foule troubles of new warres did greatly amplify and encrease complayntes through the which warres the Citizens being armed with mortal hatred one against another by the instigation incouraging of a straunge woman with shamefull madnes killed destroyed one the other to satisfy the wicked appetites desires of an vngodly Italian Hetherto she had pretended the cause of Religion notwithstanding she sought this one thing only by these ciuil discords namely That when she had destroied the Frēch mē she might bring in Italians into the kingdome of France and so she might easely raigne alone hauing gotten such men about hir as stoode subiecte bound vnto hir Also the great misliking of the murther on Saint Barthelmewes day made hir to be the more enuyed and despised adding all that might bee to that notable hatred ▪ conceiued against hir bicause by the same fall not only many noble houses were depriued of their brethren and kinsmen the more noble sorte of them of the religion being slayne but also that the death of the noble princes and peeres was sought notwithstanding that they alwayes had imbraced the Romish Religion and that a manifest way was made to the vtter destruction of the nobles of France by this enterance and that bicause this ambitious woman would leaue nothing vndone to shew crueltie that she might rule and gouerne after hir owne will. Amidst the garboyle of the murthers they which suspected their bloud to be sought were at rest and were gone at the kings commaundement to the warre to destroy those which remayned of the Religion who being but fewe and weake seemed to be brought easely to destruction within few dayes But when the Queenes counsailes and deuises tooke not effect and newe murthers were made when there was preparation of warre against Rochell Languedoc then men more freely began to speake against those murthers and to detest those ciuill warres stirred vp by the commaundements of the Queene when as the contrary successe had frustrated and deceyued euen as it were in the very entry the imagined victories concerning the vtter destruction of those of the Religion And there was none which did not greatly cōdemne the causers workers of those murthers Peace was earnestly desired and hoped for all men when as the space of two yeeres had almost drowned the memory of the former troubles and iniuries and after so many spoyles made by warres new calamitie was feared insomuch that all men feared the cause of newe troubles And the remembrance of the pretended mariage celebrated with falsehood was most detestable to the euerlasting reproch of France Therefore in steed of tryumphes for the destruction of the remaynder of the religious there sprang vp new enimies from among the Catholiques themselues and that of them also which were present in those murthers and were instrumentes of the same who being taught by tyme it selfe and by the euent and successe of the matter did not only detest that wicked facte but also prepared them selues to reuenge the same And there was no small number of these new enemyes but the factions were copious and plentifull hauing ouer them noble and famous Captaines So many as could not abyde to fayle their countrey in extremity being now at the last cast and which being free from the Queenes liberalitie prefermēt which misliked of the insolent promotiō of straūgers so many I say seemed to be called euē as it were with the soūd of a trūpet to the societie of this new counsail The greatest iniury seemed to be giuē to the king of Nauar for that his mariage was dishonored polluted with the funerals of his friendes familie and he himself had come in perill of life except by a foule and shameful shift he had forsaken the religion in the which he was brought vp instructed for the which by the ayde furtherance of his mother he had held war. The Prince of Conde was with no lesse prouocations allured beside the olde causes the
late perill of his life in the furious murthers the remēbrance of the war of Rochell to destroy those who had valiantly behaued thēselues vnder his cōduct to defend his house stock Also vehement causes stirred vp the house of Momorencie For by the death of the Admirall which was so cruelly slaine the bloud of Momorencies brethren no doubt was sought they were not ignorant the their names were valde in the nūber of those which were slayne on Saint Barthelmewes day that if they might haue bene shut vp altogether they had dyed with the Admiral and his fellowes For the Queene enuied the authoritie of the house of Momorencie And it euidently appeared the Marshall Cosse and all other which by consanguinitie affinitie or by any other meanes belonged vnto these houses were appointed for the same slaughter Yea there was occasion of these newe matters sowen in the kings own lyne The Duke of Alancō the kings yongest brother being hated of his mother greatly misliked his in others gouernment and detested that wicked and horrible facte of the bloudy mariage So that the Duke of Alancon seemed to be of their side Therefore for this cause hee was hated of his mother These were the beginnings of great matters the which what successe they had we will shew hereafter The countreys being wearyed with long calamities of warres required of the king that there might be an assembly of the States that extreame necessitie at the last might prouide a remedy for so great troubles The Queene answered that the king she did like very well of this request for the king being dayly more and more sicke the Queene of hir selfe had the gouernment of all things and shee appoynted the assembly of States at Compien The Prince of Orange helde the greatest parte of Zealand as we sayd before except Midelburge the chiefe Citie of that countrey and Armac the most famous hauen of that Citie and of the whole Isle The same he beseeged with all the forces of the inhabitants of the Islelande and with other succors appertayning to the same The kings Nauy to succour them of Middelburge loosed from Andwarpe the xxv of Ianuary In this preparation the kings Souldiers sustayned great dammage and hurte For sodaynly a great Iron peece brake in the Ship by the violent breach wherof thirtie mē were slain certain also which stood vppō the shore The Ship it self was by and by dasht in peeces vppō the flat another ship after this was ouertakte with waues And when they came within the sight of the towne of Mountes the Souldiers of the Nauie to salute the kings Garrison gaue them a peale of shotte By occasion whereof fyer being vnwittingly cast into the goonpoulder which was in one of the shippes most horribly brent all the Souldiers that were in the same For all this they went forward with their iorney toward Middelburge The Nauie of the prince of Orange encoūtred with thē the Duke Reguisence the kings Lieftenāt in the low coūtrey loking vppon thē frō the shoare of the towne of Barrow Then began a fierce battaile betwene them both partes manfully quiting thēselues Notwithstanding .v. of the kings Shippes being at the first ouercome the Admirall hir selfe also was constrayned to flee and to forsake hir fellowes The chiefe Captayne whose name was Iulian Roman a man of great fame among the Spaniardes sliding out of the ship by a roape into a skiffe forsooke the Nauie The Prince of Orange his Nauie being conquerers pursued the chase tooke ninetene Shippes of warre The Admirall himself was slain All the Spaniardes and spectally the olde Souldiers of seruice which were taken were cast ouer boorde to feede fishes Then the Prince of Orange more vehemently vrged the siege of Middelburge and so within fewe dayes it was brought to passe that Moundragon being without all hope of helpe yelded vp the Citie of Middelburge and Armac This was the ninetene of Februarie of this yeare The trueltie shewed at the seege of Harlem was not here recompenced The Prince of Orange rather conquered with lenitie and gentlenes than otherwise he graunted lyfe also to the morrow masse Priestes but the Captaines Centurions he sent prisoners to Elishing hauing giuen leaue to Mountdragon their chief Captaine to redeeme them for the which cause he leauing behynde him assurance of faith and twelue hostages went to Andwerpe that he might make exchaunge of Captiues This Mountdragon so highly commended the humanitie clemencie fayth of the Prince of Orange vnto the kings Lefetenant Regnisence that he brought himselfe in suspicion with him and also into great perill ABOVT this tyme Mongon an experte Captaine in the fyrst ciuill warres of great name fame for killing of Mottecondrin tooke certayne small townes in the countrey of Velay and certayne strong Castelles and he was now approched to the Citie of Puij which was full of riche Marthants hauing already taken the Castell Espaule which was within see sight of the Citie by the subtill practise of Guiard of Puij a man of no religion and yet pretending to be of the religion Now the spoyling Souldier being made rich with the praye bought of the Souldiers of the Castell of Espaule one of the Captayne 's being corrupted with money by the men of Puij both the head of mons Guiard and the Castell it selfe Also M. Mongon himselfe on the other parte was by treason slaine And thus within fewe dayes they of the Religion were driuen out of the countrey of Velay by the treacherie and wickednesse of the spoyling irreligious Souldiers There standeth vppon the bancke of the Riuer of Rosne a Castell called Perand This Castell did the Lord of the same who from the tyme of the slaughter at Paris fayned the abiuration of Religion take a little towne also called Andace fortifying the sayd Castell with a Garrison of Souldiers of the Religion About the same tyme also by his meanes was taken the Castell Maleuall in the countrey of Forrest By reason whereof the entercourse of them of Lions was much endammaged Therefore they being styrred vp by this their anoyance beseeged the Castell Perand and within certayne dayes assalted wonne the same M. Sanroman making small hast to succour it ◠and then ouerthrew all the forces thereof that it might neuer anoy them afterward CONCERNING the assembly of states appoynted to be holden by the Queene we haue spoken before The auncient manner of France is that before the generall assembly of States the perticular assemblies of the states of euery prouince Assie together that by deliberation they might determine what should be handled in the generall assembly This manner the Queene shunneth of purpose and geueth charge to certaine exquisite persons to go into euery prouince and to heare the complayntes of the people and to bring the same vnto the king and to hir The same authoritie she gaue also to them of the Religion for whose affayres special prouision seemed
body reported that she dyed of a pleurisie the more secret cause which was the poysoning of the brayne being not found for that they did not search the head Therefore to stop the rumour hir death was spread abroade in publike writings and billes Hir body was caryed to Vendosme and there sumptuously buryed according to the maner of the religion The King and Queene to declare their sorow and griefe put on mourning weed and commaunded all the court to doe the lyke The Queene of Nauar being thus deade the King so dealt with hir sonne Henrie with the Admirall and with the rest of the noble mē of the religion that hir death seemed to hasten forward the marriage Therefore within fewe dayes the mourning for the Queene of Nauar was layde aside in the court The King practized another subtletie to appoint the day of marriage for the which so many delayes had bene hitherto made He sayd oftentimes to the Prince of Nauar and to the Admiral that this time was differred by a certaine superstitious care of his mother of his sister and of the Cardinal of Borbon who mynded to marry them looking for the Popes dispensation by which they were to haue leaue to marry He fayned therfore that he had receyued letters from Rome from his Ambassadour by which he gaue them to vnderstande that the cardinal of Lorhain by his diligence had obtained the Popes dispensation which he would send with al speede possible and that he had sent him worde hereof out of hande that the King might not thinke the same long a comming Therefore the King shewed these letters vnto his mother to his sister and to the Cardinall of Borbon The Queene reioyced and sayde that the same was sufficient to ende the matter euen as if she had not knowne that they were fayned letters and that there was no impediment nowe but that the marriage might be solemnized Therfore it was agreed by consent on eyther part that the marriage day should be the .xviiij. of August THE towne of Mountes was besieged by the duke of Alba Lodowic Nassau was in the town with a great number of the nobilitie of Fraunce M. Genlis a noble man came with 500. horsemen and .4000 footemen with the kings consent to succour the besieged But the duke of Alba hauing priuie intelligence from the king of the cōming of M. Genlis of the which he suspected nothing encountred with him and distressed verie sore many of his souldiers being slayne some wounded and some taken prysoners Also monsieur Genlis and La Noe generalles of that armie were taken prysoners The rumour of this ouerthrowe seemed to be verie grieuous vnto the Kyng and to the whole court And by and by the King sent his letters vnto mons Monducet his Ambassadour in the lowe countrey which was with the Duke of Alba to see that no iniurie nor harme were done to mons Genlis and to the reste which were taken in battell ▪ Monducet did the kings Ambassage diligently to the Duke of Alba. The Admiral being certified of these commaundementes of the king and also of the diligence of Monducet with the Duke of Alba was wonderfully persuaded of the kings faythfull meaning to take warre in hande whome he heard oftentimes to say that he woulde one day be reuenged on the Duke of Alba and on the Spaniardes In the meane time the king gaue commission to the Admirall to leuie a newe armie that with a freshe supply of souldiers he might succour the besieged The myndes of them of the religion were greatly ioyous bicause of the marriage at hand Notwithstanding pitiful rumours went abrode dayly which they for the most part wold in no wise beleue construing al things to the best It is most certaine that many wise men after the death of the Queene of Nauar suspected that there was some fraude coloured vnder the pretence of matrimony and that the same deceit was specially practized to insnare the Admirall And it is certainly true that the Admiral was oftentimes admonished both by wordes and also by letters not to aduenture him selfe in so great an assembly and that too within the walles of Paris where the Guises were in great fauour and estimation And amongst other admonitions one deliuered vnto him a book the summe scope wherof was this Remēber that this is a decree of the Catholikes confirmed by authoritie That there is no faith to be kept with Heretikes by which name they of the religion are specially called Remēber that there is euerlasting hatred kindled against those of the religion by the enuie of the former warres so that there is no doubt but that the ful purpose and intent of the Queene is to destroy by all manner of means those of the Religion That an Italyan woman of the Popes progenie and of a subtile and craftie wit can not but seke all extremities against hir enimies consider in what schole the king hath bin trayned and brought vp that for this 12. yeeres space he hath learned of his scholemasters to sweare to blaspheme to forsweare to ioyne him self with whoores and harlots to dissemble his fayth his religion and his thoughtes to chaunge and frame his countenaunce and to reioyce in bloud that he might suffer his subiects to be slaine like beasts Thou knowest that the King is persuaded in the doctrine of Machiauel howe that he ought not to suffer in his realme any other religion than that vpon the which his state standeth and that he hath often learned this that it is not possible for his kingdome to be quiet so long as there are two religions at once in the same And it is certaine that hatred is planted in the kings mind being a yong man and he hath bin often times persuaded by false argumentes that they of the religion haue gone about to spoile him both of his kingdome and also of his life Thou art deceyued if that thou thinke that the king or any other such prince as he is will at any time suffer those subiects which shall by warre rise against him though vpō neuer so iust a cause to vse and enioy the benefite of his lawes But be thou rather persuaded of this that this is naturally ingrauē in the myndes of kings and princes to reuenge that by force of armes which is done against them by like force And that a Kyng and Princes will freely breake those couenants which they haue made eyther for feare or for necessitie so soone as those causes shall ceasse And that they holde this for a lawe That those conditions which the Prince hath made with the subiectes ought not to be kepte specially when he made them in warre the fayth ought to be broken for the kyngdoms sake That they make no conscience to deceyue the subiectes vnder the colour of a solemne othe These are the subtile sleyghts of Princes this is the discipline to preserue kingdomes Antonius Commodus at the last ceassing from his pleasures
as the kings vndoubted commaundement As for the other commaundement sayth he it seemeth so cruell and barbarous that he would not obey the king if he were present to commaunde the same Notwithstanding this Countie d'Tende fought stoutly in the former warre against those of the Religion He which brought these letters and this bloudy commaundement to Countie d'Tende was called mons d'Mole a gentleman borne in Arles who within one yere after was beheaded at Paris by the kings commaundement Countie d'Tende within few dayes after being at Auinion was by some of the kings appoyntmēt poysoned to death Coūtie de Retz being appointed to succeed him Mons. Santherā gouernour of Auuergne answered to the same cōmandement that he wold not obey contrary cōmaundements being coloured and cloaked vnder the kings name affirming therfore that he wold satisfie the first of the two for that it agreed with the kings dignitie with his Edicts that he was no hangman but the kings lieftenāt to gouern the kings subiects with equitie peace The ninth day of Septēber the king being troubled with a sodaine feare cōmaunded his armour to be brought and the captaines of his guard to come vnto him he sweareth that he hath determined to destroy those that remained of thē of the religion willing thē to go euery man to his charge for he would first beginne with the prince of Conde Then the Queene his wife intreated him that he woulde not rashly take in hande a matter of so great waight The king being persuaded by the earnest beseeching of his wife laide aside his armour and dispatcht his guard The day folowing he called before him the Prince of Conde and offered vnto him three things of the which he willed him to chose one that is to say Masse Death or perpetuall imprysonment To this choyce the Prince of Conde answered that by the ayde and assystance of God he would neuer chose the firste and that he left the other two to the Kings will and pleasure But at the last he was by the meanes of one Rozarius a Minister sometime of the reformed Church of Orleans drawne to that abiuration the copy wherof is set down in the tenth booke of Cōmentaries By the subtile persuasions I say of this man he did fall away from the truth and openly renounced the Religion and went to the Masse and to other rytes of the Romishe Church Thus by the example of the Prince of Conde and the king of Nauar many whiche were accounted of the Religion fell from the same And the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde solemnly set forth their defection by the Kings commaundement For when they had renounced the Religion at Paris they sent letters vnto the Pope in the which they declare that to their great sorowe and griefe they haue bene drawne away from the felowship of the Church by that false doctrine euen from their childhoode the blame whereof they layde not vpon their parentes but vpon those wicked men whiche had seduced them Notwithstanding they sayde it was come to passe in good time through the goodnesse of God that they shuld acknowledge their errour and seriously detest the same in mynd Therfore they humbly beseeched the Pope as a father to forgiue them their former offences and to receiue them againe into the bosome of the Church and they would shewe euer after all such obedience as became reuerent children to shewe and that it woulde please him to certifie them by his letters whereby their consciences might be assured of pardon graunted Therefore the Pope sent his pardon to the Prince of Conde and to the King of Nauar that they might not onely fight vnder his banner but also might be at continuall warre with the reformed religion such was the calamitie of those times After this the King of Nauar made an Edicte concerning them of Bearne concerning the abolishing of the reformed Religion By the commaundement of the Queene of Nauarre his mother when she was aliue the states of Bearne assembled themselues togither to take order cōcerning religion and by the free consent of the states the Masse was abrogated throughout all the dominion of Bearne Thither the king of Nauarre sent Mons Grammont wyth authoritie to preferre the Edict by whiche he forbade all that were within his dominion to vse the reformed religion notwithstanding he gaue leaue vnto them of the Religion to sell away their lande and to prouide for themselues in the space of one yeare and then to go whither soeuer they would THE Pope hearing of these murthers went himself with his whole Colledge of Cardinals first of all to the Church of S. Marke and gaue verie large thankes vnto god Then the next day after he celebrated a solemne Masse and commaunded a Iubile Thankes were giuen to God for the destruction of the enimies of the truth and of the Churche in the realme of Fraunce for the victorie gotten against the Turks and also prayer was made for the kingdome of Polonia that the king might proue suche a one as woulde seriously defende and mainteine the Catholike religion of Rome In the Euening there was a tryumphāt peale of Gunnes in the Castell of Santangell and the French men which were in the Citie made dyuerse ioyfull bankets in many places of the same as though nowe after so long contentions a full conquest were made and the euerlasting peace and tranquilitie of the Church of Rome gotten The French men had also a generall procession aboute the Citie in the which the Pope was present with his whole Colledge of Cardinals and a great number of dishes according to the custome were caryed in the same A Cardinal also sang Masse in the Churche of S. Lodowic where were a greate multitude of people assembled togither THERE were also about this time diuerse things written both in French and in Latine to commend the handling of that murther Antonius Muretus made an oration at Rome in commendation of the king and when he had done caused the same to be published commending the king for his haughtie and constant minde and also for his excellent wisedome Pibrachus set forth an Epistle in the which he maketh a very subtile discourse of al this hystorie to make the Admiral guilty of treason and the cause of the Religious hatefull Notwithstanding he pretended the loue of religion the whiche in tyme past he both knewe and had professed and had afterwarde abiured the same There was also an other Epistle spredde abroade of Peter Carpenter of Tholose a lawier who being a counterfeyt professor of the religion spake euill of the Admiral of the whole cause The which Epistle was answered by one Franciscus Portus a godly man and expert in the Greeke tongue Therfore amidst the tragical mournings of them of the Religion these were the triumphes of the Catholikes THE king also celebrated the order of S. Michael which was a feast dedicated to those noble men whiche were of the
order who bare about them the order of S. Michael fighting with the diuel At this feast were many noble men and amōg the rest the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde THE xxvij day of October the Senate of Paris pronounced a sore sentence agaynst the Admirall being dead and agaynst his memorie and children He was condemned as one guiltie of treason as an enimie to peace and a common troubler of the state as the authour of a conspiracie agaynst the king and against the state His memorie was condemned to euerlasting ignominie And to the ende there might remaine some monument of those faults it was decreed that his bodie if it could be found should be drawne through euery streete of the citie after it had stood in the Market place foure and twentie houres and if the same could not be found then his Image should be made stuft with straw and so be drawne in stead of the same as aforesayd and so to the place of execution called the Forkes of Montfalcon It was also decreed that his Armes Crest and Shield should be drawne in like maner to the fore named place And that in what places soeuer they were found they should be broken downe by the hangman as a token of his euerlasting ignominie Also that all his goodes that either he or his aunceters had receyued by the benefite and liberalitie of kings whether they were moueable or immoueable should come vnto the crowne His children were pronounced vnnoble and base and vnworthie to haue anye publike office or to enioy their goodes which if they had any within the Realme they were confiscate to the king His chiefe house Chastillon was beaten downe to the ground that neuer any thing might be buylded there againe The trees of the Orcharde were cut downe and the Gardens about the sayde house turned vpside-downe and it was decreed that a brasen pyller should be erected where the house did stande with this decree of the Senate in the same It was also decreed that the xxiiij of August euery yeare there shoulde be a generall procession about the Citie to giue thankes vnto God and to celebrate the memorie of that day in the which that cruel murder was committed AMIDST these troubles many of the Religion whiche sought to prouide for the safegard of their conscience and life fled into forraine nations Some into Englande Germanie Strausburge and Heidelberge also othersominto Switzerland to Basile and to the townes of Berne to Lausanna and to other Cities and the greatest parte to Geneua Also Rochel Mountauban Nismes and certaine Cities in the Countrey of Viuaretz and Seuenatz were left as places of refuge as wee will declare hereafter The two sonnes of the Admiral by the singular prouidence of God escaped imminent destruction and the Countie Laual the sonne of D'andelot with the daughter of the Admirall which was Thelignies widow came to Geneua after that to Berne and tarying certaine monethes at Basil they returned to Berne againe being very louingly enterteyned of the people ¶ The eleuenth Booke of Commentaries concerning the temporall and Ecclesiasticall state of the Realme of Fraunce in the raigne of Charles the ninth WHilest the whole Realm of France was woonderfully distract and confounded by that horrible and butcherly murder committed and amiddest the violence of contrarye motions when as some triumphed as conquerers and other some being ouercome were ouerwhelmed with sorowe and griefe all men for the most parte whether they were Catholiques or of the Religion were sore afeard and astonyed Yea the fyerbrandes of furies dyd burne euen in the very tryumph of victorie the authors and chiefe instruments themselues of that detestable slaughter in somuch that they being as it were out of their wittes at these fyrste beginnings pretermitted many occasions by whiche they mighte haue brought their purpose about conueniently Notwithstanding the outrage to bryng their cruell purpose to passe pricked them forward that the Religiō might be vtterly destroyed and extinguished in the kingdome of France But their diuelish counsayles had quite contrary successe afterwardes diuers practises also were vsed on both sydes as we will declare hereafter in order Furthermore the horror and feare of that garboyle was spread to all those countreyes bordering vpon France Strasburge very carefully held watch and warde In Switzerlande the Cities of contrary Religion shewed them selues playnely to stande in feare one of another and there were in dyuers partes musters made and rumors spread abroade for trueth That if the Kyng made a perfect conquest of hys subiects he woulde sowe ciuill discordes in Switzerlande that a nation not onely excelling heretofore in ciuill concorde but also hauing gotten great authoritie and credite with the kingdomes bordering therevppon and selling their friendship for greate stipendes and summes of money shoulde contende and be at warres in it selfe They of Bern seemed most of al to be assalted whose power is gret amōg the Switzers by reason of the amplenes of their populous dominion The cause of discord was for that the Cities in Switzerlād which were named to be of the Religion seemed not to cōdescēd and agree to giue vnto the king a band of Catholiques to ayde him to rase and roote out for euer the remnant that remayned of them of the Religion bycause they did much abhorre that butcherly murder of France for that seemed both to be againste the Religion whiche they professed and also to tende to their owne priuate perill as when that the King had destroyed hys owne subiects he myght cause troubles and tumult in Switzerland by the meanes of the townes in the which the Catholiques inhabited who were very desirous to receyue the Kings pay notwithstanding what happened afterward we will declare anon BY THE Kings commaundement horsemen were dispatched and sente into all partes of the Realme and euery man receyued charge to watch and ward diligently Also the Gouernours of euery prouince had commaundement not to be absente from their charge at any tyme without the Kings assured commaundement to looke diligently that there arose no tumultuouse trouble and with all care and industrie to seeke and syft out narrowly all conuenticles and assemblies of suche as professed the Religion and seuerely to punish them IN all partes of the Realme and in euery Citie of the same they were apprehended whiche kept their houses vpon trust and assurance of the Kings Edict Many were slayne and put to death and all men had their goodes put to spoyle by the Kings officers euen as if they had bin enimies lawfully vanquished Notwithstandyng many escaped and fled into forrayne nations There was scarse one man founde which professed hymselfe to be of the Religion all were eyther in exile or hydden in corners or els sauing a fewe constrayned to forsake the Religion and to lyue more catholykely than the Catholykes them selues THEY of the Religion beeyng after thys maner vanquished there seemed nothing to remaine but their
came thyther for refuge they appoynt that certaine ministers and also strangers shoulde be of the counsayle concerning matters for the towne Monsieur Sanstephen a noble man was made general of the horsemen The Captaynes were of more fame as Mons Essarz mons Riuier Mons Lyzi Mons Norman Mons Virolet Mons Nouel and diuerse others whose names we expresse bycause of the siege folowyng Agayne Mons Biron sent letters to them of Rochel from Broage a famous hauen where the Nauie roade Mons Strossi and Mons d'Guarde sente letters to them also but the letters of mons Biron were more friendly than the other in the whiche he affyrmed that he woulde procure the kyngs commaundement for the dismissyng of the Nauie so that they of Rochel would promise to the kyng to obey suche gouernours as he woulde appoynt ouer them Monsieur d'Guarde wrote more sharpely vnto them willyng them to receyue one condition or other eyther of peace or of warre affirmyng that the kyng should haue his authoritie by eyther They of Rochel answered that many things were promysed them but little or nothing performed that it was euident to all men what great cause they had to imbrace loue peace and what dammage and hurte they had receyued by warres and therfore how greatly they ought to deteste the same That they had hearde oftentimes that the kyng was very carefull for theyr safetie yet notwithstandyng the kyngs officers dyd annoy and endammage them very muche and that they in the meane tyme behaued themselues modestly and obediently towardes the kyng as all men might see Mons Biron and d' Guard practised after the same manner by letters and caused Mons Ouarz a noble man of that part and named to be of the religion to wryte to them of Rochel after the same effect and to shewe in howe greate peryll and danger they were in and to admonishe them to beware least by their obstinacie they cast them selues into presente destruction The Kyng also commaunded monsieur Durans whyche was a Solicitour in the affayres of Rochel being at the same tyme at Paris to goe vnto Rochel to perswade the Townesmen to receyue monsieur Biron and with him he sent to them of Rochel louing letters of bountifull good will. Monsieur Thecan the chiefe gouernour in the Senate of Paris wrote vnto certayne of his friendes of the chiefe Citizens that they would take diligent paynes in this matter would bring to passe that they of Rochel myghte receyue the conditions offered by the king They of Rochel write vnto monsieur de Guard complayning both of the sundry dammages done vnto them in time of the intreatie of peace also which wer yet done vnto thē dayly AMIDEST this intercourse and passage of letters too and fro there was a cruell slaughter made vpon those of the Religion at Burdeaux vppon whiche occasion they of Rochel demaunded whether they coulde looke for peace seeyng violente and outragious murders were still committed and seeing assaults of greater and more vehemēt slaughter were made vpō them For the Shippes of the Marchants of Rochel which had made their voiage and were returned from forrayne countries wer diuersly spoyled and their marchandise taken from them Now the kings power with open warre assayled them of Rochel in somuche that marchantes were restrayned of theyr passage and entercourse and the Kings nauie abode vpon the coast of Rochel robbing and spoyling all partes thereaboutes whyle the Armie whych shoulde come by lande was a preparing IN the meane time they of Rochel diligently applied theyr grape gathering for the wine presse and brought into the Citie fyue and twentie thousande tunnes of wine whyche did them great pleasure at what time they were besieged And all men both townesmen and also strangers laboured paynefully in in fortifying the towne with rampiers and bulwarks AND thus the state of Rochel beeyng knowen before wee come to the noble besieging of the same the order of the story requireth that wee shewe the state of other Townes also in the whyche the remnauntes of the godly religious were preserued They of Montaubane had the kings letters sent vnto them notwithstanding they continued in their former purpose by whiche during all the former ciuill warres they were very circumspect in not admitting any one that came from the kyng into the Citie but amidst the greate treasons and lyings in wayte of their neighbours of Tholouze preserued them selues vntill these hard and extreame beginnings NISMES the Townesmē not knowing what way they were best to take was almost ready to bee yeelded vp to the king Many of the principalles of the Religion stale out of the Citie carying their families to another place and got thēselues into such places as were neere vnto the same Also some of them hauing forsaken the Religion got them speedily to the Cities of the Catholiques hoping thereby the more conueniently to obtayne pardon of the King and many of them to shew that they were seriously returned to the Catholiques detested the Religion all that they could with odious words MONSIEVR Ioyeuse Lefetenant of Languedoc writ oftentimes to the inhabitants of Nismes to receyue the Kyngs Garrison Who at the first answered by delayes that they woulde obey the king yet notwithstāding bicause of the late murdering of their brethrē felow partakers with thē of the Religiō they had great cause to be careful for their safetie Notwithstāding Monsieur Ioyeuse perswaded them of the singular good wyll of the king by his letters often times affyrming that they should liue quietly in safetie by the benefite of the kings Edict of peace There is in Nismes the Kings court kept nowithstandyng it is lawfull for a man to appeale from the same to the Senate of Tholouze in the whyche Citie there was more plenty of Lawyers and more store of rich Citizens Many of them were almost at the same poynte to yeelde them selues in tyme to the Kyng and with speedy obedience to win the kings fauour Notwithstāding the greatest part of the commō sort of people certayne also of the chiefe men amōg whom was Mons Clauson a Counsailer of the court who as he was wise godly so also he was of great authoritie withstoode this purpose not minding to put thē selues into present perill of death And lest those of the kings side shuld take the Citie and let into the same the souldiers which wer vnder the cōduct of Mons Ioyeuse which lay in waite about the citie night and day sought diligently al occasiōs to take the same the said mons Clauson himself very carefully held watch warde with the townsmen of the gates of the citie least any mā shuld come in or out without their knowlege Mons Clauson being the author of this manly wise purpose notwithstanding that he was a learned graue man yet he endeuoured him selfe to play the souldier hauing alwayes a diligent eye in gouerning the
tyme. They of Sanserre beyng styrred vp with the newes of that horrible slaughter of Paris and beyng assaulted wyth continuall lyings in wayte of the bordering enimie kept theyr citie wyth diligent watch and warde thyther those of the Religion whyche were escaped the murthers fled from the places there about from Burges for Sanserre is in the territorie of Berry from La Charite from Orleans from Gijon and from other places Notwythstanding commaundement was gyuen out of hande to them of Sanserre in the Kings name by mons Castres gouernour of that part to admit and obey the Kyngs decree by which he forbad the seruice of the Relygion and accordyng to the fourme thereof to abstayne from holy Sermons and to receyue a garryzon to keepe the city The same forme of commaundemēt also had the same answere of the men of Sanserre whiche they of Rochel Nismes had gyuē as we haue sayd namely that they neyther could nor ought to receyue the armed enimie agaynst them selues And that therfore they must wayte for that tyme in the which they myght safely commit them selues to the externall and foreine souldier also they affyrmed that they were by theyr auncient pryuiledge exempted from that burthen Wherefore they fortify them selues all that they may and repayre the breaches of theyr wastes whych were sore battered in the former warre They sende a messenger to the Court commendyng theyr cause to monsieur Fontenei one of theyr corporation and libertie that he would make intercession to the Kyng for them and would excuse them Notwythstanding all things were prepared for mortall warre and what happened thervpon we wyll shew when we come to the time and place belongyng vnto the same IN Daulphine they of the relygion had not one town in theyr possession no not so much as a village All the cityzens were taken by the Kyngs garryzons the greatest part of them of the relygion beyng desirous to saue theyr lyfe eyther fayned an abiuration of the relygion or else fled into the next cities of Viuaretz and into forreyne countreys To tell it is incredible howe many defections and Apostacies there were in a very shorte tyme euen in the greatest cities where the congregations were most peopled At the first very many wythout constraynt euen by the very reporte of the murther at Paris at Lions fel away and came by heapes to the catholikes some beyng scarsly threatned became weakelyngs and turne-coates So that a man myght see great heapes of hypocrites and dissemblers of the Relygion which frequented the temples and vsed all the rytes of the Catholiques euen as it were with stryuing who should be most forwarde Many of the nobilitie also whych had folowed the relygion and had valiantly behaued them selues in the tymes of the former warres abiured now the relygion others were dumbe at home wyth great astonyshment of continuall feare leaste they shoulde be intercepted and taken by monsieur d' Gordes Lieftenant who notwithstanding went about to persuade them of theyr secure and safe estate and to seduce them from the relygion by louing letters MONS Mombrune one of the most noble men in Daulphine came not to the assembly of the funeral mariage For the prouidēce of God reserued him to do him great seruice as we wil declare whē we come to the time of the same But he hauing by his seruice in the former warres diuers sundry ways emploied gotten great fame among thē of the religion mons d'Gordes at the kings cōmandemēt only labored to intercept him fearing that he wold be another occasiō of new troubles Mombrune kept his house therefore mons d' Gordes sent verie louyng letters vnto hym seekyng thereby to persuade him of the singular good wyll and beneuolence towarde him Only keeping him selfe quiet he should be in rest and securitie and in the Kings high fauour Thus Mombrune seemed to many to haue giuen ouer the care for religion to be quyte discoraged with the vnhappinesse of the time notwithstanding he at the last cast aside al negligēce as we wil declare hereafter THE kings Edict is published to reduce thē home again which were fled away eyther into forreine nations or else into those cities which they of the religion held That by the prescript of the kings Edict pardon shuld be graūted for al things past to such as would returne home againe with prouiso for the safety of their life and conscience so that they woulde lyue peaceably at home And in the same Edict the king threatned those that would not obey his commandement to make their goods confiscate as if they were rebels And he testified that he did not punish the Admiral and his adherentes to this end and purpose that he might shewe seueritie for euer vpon his subiectes of the newe opinion for so he called the Religion but rather to prouide a necessary remedy for the disordred kyngdome though the same in outward shewe seemed to be sharpe Also whereas many of his people through feare were fled eyther into those cities which the rebels held or else into forrein nations that he earnestly lamented their case euē as it becōmeth a good master of a house for that they receiued so much hindrance losse by being banished frō their houses Therfore he willeth and straightly commaundeth them to repayre with al speede vnto their houses being assured that they should haue peaceable cōming so that they came within twentie days the religious leauing the cities which they held seditiously to giue their names vnto the lieftenant of the Prouince and to promyse faythfully that they woulde be heereafter the trustie subiectes of the king But if so be they would obstinatly absent them selues and carelesly contemne his clemencie then to be assured that he would be seuere in punishing them according to their desertes Also excepte they appeared at the daye appoynted that hee woulde confyscate theyr goodes to the end they myght knowe what it is to abuse the clemencie of their prince That he did offer and proclayme thys in time least any man should sustayne the punishment afterwarde for his presumptuouse boldnesse and rashnesse Thys was published the .xix. of Nouember But howsoeuer the kyng by those words of the Edict would seeme to prouide for the consciences of the Religious it cannot be of any wayght or credit in the iudgement of wise men For a little before many of the kings letters patents were sente abroade thorough out the Realme by which most vniustly he constrained those which had not once set theyr foote out of the Realme and whose condition for that cause ought to haue bin much better to renounce the Religion and to imbrace Papistrie Many there imagined and coniectured that the great masse of money gathered out of the proscription of the Religious woulde bee sufficiente to mayntayne warre and so they of the Religion should be wounded with their owne swordes Therefore the goodes of the Religious were dayly
vewed and put in inuentorie the whiche is alwayes the beginning of Confiscation so that the goodes of the Religious beyng absent were almost put in an Inuentorie but yet were not confiscate the cause whereof was the contrary successe whyche the Kyng looked not for If the Kyng had had such successe in his warre at Rochel as hee desyred it seemed that confiscations shoulde haue flowed wyth murders beyonde all measure thoroughout the whole Realme vppon them of the Religion to theyr vtter destruction Vnder the collour and pretēce of that Edict the king sought to bryng to passe by hys Legate mons Belleure with the Switzers which professed the Religion that those Frenchmen of the Religion whych were fled into theyr countrey myght be constrayned to forsake the same for many were fled especially to Bern and to Basile Notwithstandyng the Ambassadour lost hys labour for they extended still that same humanitie that they dyd before towards those fugitiues Almost about thys tyme a daughter was borne to the king Wherevpon he intreated Elizabeth the Queene of Englande that she would promise for his yong daughter in the holy Sacrament of Baptisme whiche we call the office of a Godmother To this request the Queenes Maiestie graūted and sent the Earle of Worceter into France to the king to be hir deputie for the same There was no man but he saw well ynough that the kyng at that doubtful time wēt about to coorry fauour with the Queene of Englande least she shoulde help the poore Inhabitants of Rochel and to this end the league was made We said before that they of Rochel answeared mons Biron that they woulde not receyue him into the Citie before suche time as the kyng hadde prouided for theyr securitie by assured pledges not minding to come to composition with bare words But the Kyng purposed to make those at his commaundemēt by dint of sworde and open force whome he could not wynne with wordes and deceyt Therefore hee deliuereth letters to mons Biron by whych hee banisheth them from his protection and fauour except they obey this his last commaundement as Rebelles traytors and the troublers of the common peace protesting that he woulde persecute them with mortall warre accordingly he commaundeth all hys gouernours and officers to persecute them with warre and by al other meanes euē as if they were giltie of high treason and pronoūceth that whatsoeuer they do herein against them shal be allowed and maynteyned At the same time mons Noe a noble man and in the former warres one amongst the rest most valiant came out of the lowe Countrey of Flaunders called Belgic and was reconciled to the Kyng and in token of his recouered fauour the king gaue vnto him the goodes of Teligni whose Sister mons Noe had maried whyche otherwise had bin confiscate as the goodes of others that were slayne were in the slaughter of Paris The king gaue hym in charge to perswade with them of Rochel that hee mighte bring them if it were possible to take those conditions of peace which he offered vnto them They of Rochel wondering at his comming after thys sorte sente vnto hym their letters of safeconduct that he might come to the village called Tadon the fyfth day of Nouember and to do vnto them that message which he had brought vnto thē from the king Thither came mons l' Noe and the Burgeses of Rochell Lāguilleir Rechenart Villers and Merelle Mons l' Noe declared vnto them that he had receyued commaundemente from the King Queene to tel thē that it appertayned greatly to their profite to yeeld vp the Citie into the kings hand and power that they mighte thereby deliuer themselues from that destruction presently like to ensue by the siege at hand and might also obtayne great peace for other Churches that he propounded thys condition in the kings name whome if they woulde admit to be their Gouernour according to the kings appoyntment they had free libertie to vse and enioy the Religion Notwithstanding mons l' Noe hauing declared hys good wyll and loue whiche he bare to Religion priuately perswaded them of Rochel to admit none in the kings name into the Citie before such time as they were sufficiently assured of their securitie and safetie The Burgeses of Rochel had onely authoritie and leaue to heare but no licence at all to determine any thing Wherefore they returning certifyed the Senate of the condition offered by mons l' Noe and mons l' Noe being come into the Citie receyued this answer That Rochel would not admit mons Biron beseeching the king that hee woulde poynt some other whiche loued the refourmed Religion to be their ouerseer or els to suffer them to lyue peaceably vnder the obedience of hys lawes In the meane time mons l' Noe being solicited both by the Senate it selfe of Rochel and also required by certayne other Ministers of the Church to imbrace the Religion sayeth that he was no lesse feruent towards the Religion than he had bin afore time and that he determined in him selfe to returne vnto them so soone as he hadde done his ambassage vnto the king The whiche hee perfourmed within few dayes after and was louingly enterteyned of them of Rochel After this they of Rochel cōsulted how they might get the Isle of Rhe the whyche was both neere and also commodious for them The charge to atchieue thys enterprise was cōmitted to mons Essarz He beeyng furnished wyth certayne Shyppes loosed from Rochel hauen about the dead tyme of the nyghte that he myghte deceyue the enimie ryding at anker not farre from hym Nowe there were come nere to the Citie two Shyppes of the Kyngs nauy vnder a colour to bryng letters to them of Rochel in the name of mons d' Guarde but in very deede they were sounding or plumming for the depth of the water for the whych cause they had one wyth them very expert in the same Whyles they were thus occupyed they were boorded by the Shyppes of Rochel the whych hauing slayne one of theyr chiefe Cpptaynes tooke one of the Shyppes and sente all theyr tackeling and cariage into the Citie the other Shyp being afeard escaped away Then they of Rochel returned into the Citie agayne Thys was a foretoken that they shuld haue good successe in the warre whiche was prepared against them THE fourth day of December mons Biron came to the citie wyth seuen cornets of horsemen and eyghteene ensignes of footemen hauyng also wyth hym two great brasse peeces to begin the seege In the meane tyme dyuers came dyuersly to this warre frō al parts of the Realme of those also not a fewe which aforetime had serued the Prince of Conde in the war and had nowe forsaken the Religion shewyng them selues to be more mortall enimies to the same than the Catholiques them selues They of Rochel held those villages that bordered vpō theyr Citie as Maraim Mose Nouaille whych were vnder the charge
they might shew all the arguments that might be to the king of theyr obediēce Therfore the men of Sanserre assembled togither with monsieur Candaillet and testifie that they will yeelde vnto the king all obedience requiring one thing onely at his handes whiche was that they myght haue lybertie of lyfe and conscience according to the fourme of the Edict for the faythfull perfourmance whereof they sayde that they woulde yeelde vnto hym an hundred of theyr chiefe Citizens for pledges Thys was the begynning of greate dissention among the Citizens whiche almost oppressed the Citie in thys first beginning Monsieur Candaillet returned to the Court being accompanied with fiue of the chiefe Citizens of Sanserre of which two were Catholikes and three were Religious These had commission subscribed with the handes of the chiefe Citizens that they woulde allow and confirme whatsoeuer they did according to the fourme of the same The Messengers of Sanserre so soone as they were come into the Court had spoken to the King and Queene whether it were by threatnings or vpon hope of certaine rewards craued pardō of the king in the name of al the citizens of Sanserre whose persons they represented as though they had grieuously offended agaynst him beseeched the king that he would send M. Fontene to Sanserre with a power promising to vndertake that he should be welcom to the Inhabitants therabouts Therfore mon. Candaillet goeth before to tel them of Sanserre of the comming of mon. Fontene The which when they heard wondring at the matter being greatly offended therwith they assemble thēselues togither to consult of the same and at the last accord That forsomuch as the Messengers had don that thing by the kings perswasion against the forme of their cōmission they might lawfully refuse and reiect their act and agreemēt They send out to meet with mon. Fontene and to tel him that they are sory for the rashnesse of their deputies in that they had caused him to come vnto Sanserre certifying him withal that they knewe hys great good will for the which they gaue hym thankes promysing that they woulde yeelde vnto him great honour and woulde moste friendly entertayne him so that he would come to theyr citie in tyme of peace But forsomuch as it was a troublesome tyme they beseeched him to take it in good part that they could not suffer him to come into the citie Notwithstandyng Mons Fontene came to Cosne a towne two leagues from Sanserre that from thence he myght the more conueniently prosecute hys businesse The Deputies also of Sanserre were returned from the Courte Then contentions began to growe among the Citizens about the receyuyng of Monsieur Fontene For the Deputies perswaded with certaine of the chief citizens to receyue Mons Fontene into the citie shewyng the daunger which otherwise might come vnto the towne On the contrary parte others but specially forreners thought it not meete to receyue him Monsieur Fontene vnderstandyng that he was most of all resisted by forreners to enter into the citie wrote vnto them affirmyng that there was no cause why he should betray theyr safetie but rather that he had a care for the same Notwithstandyng that it was not meete that through theyr counsayle the miserable townsmen should runne into peril and that they ought not to be the procurers of them to resist the kyng seyng if they would they could not Therefore if they would determine to go to any other place he woulde bryng to passe that they should be safecōducted whether soeuer they would for the faythful performāce wherof he sayd they should haue pledges The forreners sent two Deputies to M. Fontene by which they desire that they may haue the libertie of cōscience and the peace and tranquillitie giuen vnto them by the king according to the prescripte of the pacificatorie Edicte affirmyng that they had done iniurie to no man but came vnto Sanserre vpon purpose to shunne those murders which were committed in other places and were receyued into the citie with the good leaue of the townsmen Therfore that there was no cause why theyr abode shoulde be greeuous or offensiue to any man so much that they shoulde departe to any other place To this monsieur Fontene more angerly answered that he would satisfie the kings commaundement in doyng that which shoulde be for the purpose and also for the kings dignitie Therfore that which could not be brought to passe by pollicie was assayed by force Therefore those townesmen whiche thought good to admit monsieur Fontene into the towne in the kings name by subtill deceite tooke the castell and tooke with them into the same monsieur Racam the brother of monsieur Fontene But when monsieur Fontene was come with his armie more neare to the citie to put a more strong garrison into the Castell behold the townsmen which were of the Religion gaue a violent assaulte vpon the castel by whiche they put the warders to flight and tooke the same euen the same day At that time they of Sanserre coulde not with courage inough bende thēselues to warre notwithstanding being admonished by present peril they began to arme themselues with courage and to make preparation for theyr owne defence THe affayres also of the lowe countrey accordyng to the order of the storie begon are not to be omitted but briefly touched The Prince of Orange hauyng an armie well appoynted prospered well in his affayres in the low countrey of Flaunders hauing gotten into his handes the most noble cities about that time that the murders were committed at Paris Therfore when he had taken Mechgeline Audenard and constrained Louen to pay vnto him a great summe of money he came to Mountes with all his power both to helpe his brother the Graue Lodouic and also to deliuer the towne compassed with a strayte siege by the Duke of Alba. The Prince of Orange arriued with greate speede to the Duke of Alba his campe whose cōmyng by apparance should haue brought great detriment to the Duke of Alba being hemd in on euery side by his enimies notwithstanding the Prince of Orange beyng slowe in biddyng battayle by reason of the importunate calling of the souldiers for wages departed without any attēpt giuen And retyring the Duke of Alba deuised to worke him some secrete mischiefe For the whiche purpose he sente after him fiue hundred well appoynted souldiers with calliuer shot and a troupe of horsemen to follow the pursuite who settyng vppon the Princes campe in the night and killyng the watche made greate slaughter with a Canbusadow vpon hys armie killyng many and wounding not a fewe When horrible newes of the Frēch slaughters came to the eares of the Graue Lodouic by whiche he and his fellowes were not a little troubled and beyng out of hope to haue succours from his brother the Prince of Orange the Duke of Alba also dayly more vehemently assaulting him the enimie beyng repulsed the Graue Lodouic began to intreate
a noble mā caried him into the citie After certayne dayes some soldiers being priuily come from the Shippes at the firste watch when the gates were shut and beyng passed ouer the ditch were assayled by the warders of the Kings campe In this tumult the Citie was raysed and the townesmen brake foorth by whyche occasion there was so sore a fyght and skirmish that a fewe only of the townesmen beyng slayne and wounded there was of the kings part a hūdred and fyue and fyftie slayne and many sore hurt Then the Catholiques began to practise by subtil meanes to intercept them of Rochel Mons Triabalde a noble man entred into the Citie vnder a coloured pretence of fleing to them of the Citie assayeth to bring the noble men which were there but especially mons Languillier who had the chiefe authoritie ouer Rochel to defection But seeing that he could not preuaile searing least they of the town would punish him for his falsehood returned to the kings Camp at the next eruption out of the citie About this time there were new platformes made for them of Rochel but those souldiers whiche were apoynted to gyue the enterprise were for the most parte slayne in the furie of the common people the rest after examination had by the Magistrate were brought foorth of prison and hanged The Citizens of Rochel made mons l' Noe their generall notwithstanding so that the chiefe authoritie and power of other matters shoulde rest in the hands of the Magistrate And certaine other speciall thyngs befell among them the which to thys day are knowen to fewe and to me also vncertayne that I dare not commit them to writing The Citizens came alwayes thyther where they thoughte they myght fynde the enimie Therefore there was a sore battayle fought at Tadon and at Netrè two villages neare to Rochel in whych the kyngs part was put to the worst And thus they neuer suffered the enimie to be at rest The twentie day of Ianuarie mons de Guarde brought the kings nauie to the promontorie called Chef de Bois and seeking to stop thē of Rochel of their passage sunke a huge emptie Shippe commōly called the Caraque in the sea and with great waytes and towes made the same immouable and ankerfast Vpō this he reared a fort called le Eguille from whēce he thundred discharged great shot against that part of the towne which was opposite to the same Ouer against one end of the Caraque ther was another fort called Corceille oueragainst the other ende of the same a thyrde fort called the fort of the newe hauen And thus the hauē was defended on both sydes the Caraque beyng in the middest There appeared in the ocean sea a little beyonde the hauen within the vewe of the towne two Shippes whiche seemed to beare sayle as though they would ariue at the Citie Therfore the townesmen went out of the Citie euen vpon a heape to the number of fourescore hauing certayne soldiers froonting them with targets and shields intending with matter that they caried with them to fyre the Caraque The which notwithstāding they attempted in vayne beeing terrifyed with the thundring shot which flew from the Eguille for t and also with the hardnesse of the enterprise and so returned into the citie The Duke of Anoiu sente letters from the towne called Samnessan to mons le Noe and commaundeth him to signify vnto the men of Rochel in his name that the king would forgyue them both their lyues and goodes so that they woulde yeeld them selues into his hands the which if they did refuse he would by force enter the Citie execute suche punishment vpon them as they should therby be made an example for al others There fled to Rochel from the Kings armie diuers whyche aforetime had followed the Religion and were constrained by the extremitie of the tymes to fyght vnder the Kings banner By these the kings counsayle was bewrayed to thē of Rochel The syxt day of February they of the towne made another eruptiō or violet assault vnder the conduct of mons l' Noe in the which they fought so valiantly that of the Legiō of Sammartine one whole band was almost slain many also were takē prisoners whiche notwythstanding were dismist withoute paying any raunsome Notwithstanding they which were knowen to be instruments of the murder found no such fauour The eight day also the besieged townesmē gaue another assault in the which they lost only fiue but the kings part many soldiers Mons l' Noe chose vnto himselfe a wel apppoynted strong band of noble and olde experienced soldiers choise men which offered willingly their seruice THE Duke of Anjou beyng come neare vnto the city sent againe two letters to the citizens of Rochell the first concerned the noble men the second appertayned to the townesmen and forreners which were fled thyther In the which letters he declareth that the king was not so vneasie to be reconciled and vnwilling to shewe grace but that if they would repent them and craue pardon at his handes he would receyue them to his fauour againe but if they did obstinately refuse hys grace they myght assure them selues to feele the power and seueritie of their most renowmed Lord could not impute the cause of that their destruction to any other than to thē selues They of Rochell answered the Duke of Anjou wyth thankes giuing beseeching him to labour with the King that the matter myght be brought to assured peace and tranquilitie that especially they myght haue the libertie of their conscience THE fiftenth day of this month the Duke of Anjou came with great authoritie and countenance into the kyngs campe being accompanyed with his brother the Duke of Alanson the king of Nauar the Prince of Conde the Dauphin whiche were of the kings bloud the Guise Duke D'Aumal Marques d'Meyne Duke d'Bouillon Monluce Count Rochfoucalt the Lord Acier who after the death of his brother succeeded hym in the inheritance and was called Duke D'Vzes who hauing forsaken the religion tooke parte with the catholikes There were many other noble men also there was so great a multitude of noble men that to besiege and assault one citie men came from al parts of the realme with al forces that might be possible But before we come to speake of the noble siege it seemeth necessarie that we make breef descriptiō of the situation of Rochel of the most famous places therein made notable by valiant exploytes Rochel by situation extendeth it selfe so farre into the Ocean sea that it is almost compassed about therewith and it is closed almost rounde about with salte maryshes very conuenient for the making of salte but that part whiche tendeth towarde the countrey of Poictou is fyrme and fast grounde On that part standeth the temple called L'temple d' Cogne the which was fortified with a countermure and now beareth
the whotte and fearce shotte of the greate Gunnes discharged by the towne Ladders were set to the walles and the townesmen in the meane tyme making no resistance they climbe them but when manye of them were come to the top of the Ladders and the sayde Ladders fully replenished by and by those townsmen which before lay hid discouered themselues being prepared with speares and long poales and ouerthrew their ladders with so violent an assault that euen with one force as it were they being repulsed the troupes whiche abode at the lower part of the walles were made afearde with the great noyse and crie of those that fell and being put to flight with the great plentie of shotte ranne away like madde men and cast themselues headlong into the Marishes for feare Then incontinently the women went forth with spits and shouels such like apt weapons belonging to womens war with the whiche they layde at those whom they founde ouerthrowne and easily slue them and caryed away the spoyle no man resisting him On the other part the townesmen no lesse valiantly behaued themselues in fight at the Bulwarke l'Euangile insomuch that the showering Gunshot neuer missed the heades of the Catholikes who were also much annoyed with fireworkes cast out of the towne vpon them Therefore the kings side was constrayned to retyre aboue three hundred souldiers of his being lost at that charge The next day after the Catholikes fortefyed with a rampire that part of the Bulwarke l'Euangile which they had taken and when they had set themselues in battaile aray making a shew as if they would haue giuen a newe charge they departed without any enterprise perceyuing that the townesmen prepared themselues for their defence They made also a mine for that bulwark and made a rampire ouer against the same to anoy the townesmē for the which the townesmen prouided in making a coūtermine with a gate to the same conueniently belonging for sodaine eruptions About sixe of the clocke in the euening the Rochellians cried Alarme vpon this occasion A certaine woman whiche was gone downe into a certain Wineseller to drawe wine hearde the voyce of a man speaking By which she thought that the enimies had made theyr mynes so farre and therefore cryed oute The people at thys crie armed themselues But after enquirie made of the matter it was founde oute that certayne of the townesmen by the commaundement of the Maior were searchyng for the conducte pypes which serued the towne with water The same day great stoare of corne great plentie of munition for warre was brought into the kings campe The day followyng another parte of the bulwarke l'Euangile whiche remayned of the former breache was beaten downe by a violent batterie by the fall whereof many bothe of the Townesmen and also of the Catholiques were slayne and with them a certayne Captayne whiche had conducted a bande of souldiours to that parte to gyue an assault The next day there was nothyng done woorthy to be spoken of sauyng that the townesmen castyng fire into the ditche brente certayne souldiours and pioners The same day the townesmen brake foorth at the Casemates belongyng to the bulwarke l'Euangile and slew many of the kyngs souldiers and brought theyr armour into the Citie On the other parte the great gunnes went off from the towne agaynst the kings fortes whereby many of the Catholiques were slayne The nientene day shyppes were discryed in the sea appoinpoynted and prepared for warre the whiche roade at anker within a myle of Rochel hauen called Chef-de bois By and by the Kyngs nauie was prepared and out of the kyngs armie bandes of soldiers were appoynted to defende the coaste and others to furnishe the shyppes and strayte way a notable peale of thunderyng shotte was rung betweene them This nyghte at the commaundement of the Rochellians a Captayne went foorth with one shippe and notwithstandyng that the enemie resisted he came in safety vnto the Nauie of Mongomerie of whome they receyued a signe that ayde was come to them of Rochel Notwithstandyng those shyppes were diuided in the mornyng So the Catholiques returned into the campe Aboute the euenyng there came a messenger whiche tolde that those shyppes were not farre off Whereas the townsmen wente about with great diligence to repayre the breache and ruyne of the bulwarke l'Euangile the Catholiques sought to beate it downe with shot Twoo of the kings armie fled to the gate d'Molines to the townsmen notwithstandyng the showers of shot which were discharged after them The townesmen made a countermine agaynst that myne whiche the catholiques had made for the bulwarke l'Euangile To this they set fire but bycause there was not sufficient store of gunpowder in the same theyr labour was lost The nexte day a newe charge was gyuen The same day there came vnto Cogne Monsieur Oars and Rolli to speake with the Maior in the Duke of Anjou his name The cause of this parley was that wayes myghte be taken for peace To the kyngs Ambassadours came the Maior Nortius the Pastor of the Churche and Monsieur Essarz and diuers others and when they had spente certayne howers in communication togyther they returned into the Citie About eight of the clocke the Catholiques blewe vp the mine whiche they had made at the bulwarke l'Euangile The earth fallyng ouerthwartly slewe many of the Catholiques and fiftene of the townsmen At this tumulte all the whole citie was armed but not one of the Catholiques appeared The day followyng a freshe assaulte was giuen that the pioners whiche made a mine by the noyse of the gunnes might not be perceyued of the townsmen The nexte daye the same Ambassadours came agayne aboute the treatie of peace when as notwithstandyng theyr fellowes persisted no lesse vehement than they did before in giuing the assaulte In the dead time of the nighte of the same day a piercyng battayle of the Catholiques beyng conducted by skilfull and valiant captaines wanne the ditche notwithstandyng they were cōstrayned to retire with great losse of their men Then began the great gunnes to thunder The twentieth day there was a sore charge gyuen agaynst the bulwarke l'Euangile by the Catholiques And euen in the middest of the fight fyre was put into the myne the which the Townesmen foreseeing auoyded the daunger thereof and beguyled the enemie They fought for the space of fiue houres without staye or retraite Fifteene of the Townesmen onely were slayne and thirtie hurte but verye many Catholiques were loste who susteyned great dammage by the townesmen at the drawe bridge out of the Casemates The last day the townsmen made an inroade to the forts of the Catholiques and slew many of them and then with losse of some of their men returned into the citie agayne The Rochellians sende their requestes concerning the peace to the duke of Anjou The firste daye of May the townesmen set vp vppon the walles green boughes in token of ioy and sang Psalmes vnto
God playing with cornets and trumpets ioyning therto the noyse of Gunnes In the nyght they burnt vp the greatest parte of the drawe bridge The next day Monsieur Oars brought the kings answere from the Duke of Anjou to the Rochellians concerning theyr demaunds In the nighte followyng the townsmen brake out of their countermine into the Catholikes myne and dryuing from thence the Catholiques and placyng watche and warde there they ouerthrew the same The two nexte dayes were spente with two fortunate eruptions with taking consultation concerning the kings answere Euery townesman without exception had leaue to come to this consultation and the daye and place of meeting was appoynted The fourth day of this moneth the Nauie spoken of before was more playnely to be seene at the syght whereof the Catholiques withoute delaye armed themselues For it was Countie Mongomerie with fiftie sayle greate and small And thus it fared with Mongomerie Mongomerie comming into Englande laboured by all meanes to obtayne ayde at the handes of Elizabeth the Queenes maiestie of England The whiche hir Maiestie denyed bycause of the league whiche she had made with the king Therfore Mongomerie tooke an other way getting into his handes partly by loane and partly by gift of English Frenchemen and the lowe countreymen of Flaunders fortie thousande frankes and got leaue of the Queenes maiestie to furnishe a nauie so well as he coulde Thus after long trauayle he furnished fiftie shippes But occasion fell out whiche delayed for a tyme that expedition and preparation The Earle of Worcester a noble man of Englande went into Fraunce in the Queenes name to baptize the newe borne daughter of the French king and to be one of the sureties or witnesses for the sayd child in hir highnes name In this passage certayn Frenchmen and Flemings set vppon him taking from him one of his shippes and killing certaine of his men Hir highnesse taking displeasure hereat commanded the matter to be enquired after for the which inquisition she sent the Lorde Admirall who setting vpon all the shippes of the Frenchmen and Flemings toke caried away whatsoeuer came to his hāds So that twentie of Mongomeries ships were loste So he came to the coast of Rochell with twentie ships of his nauie diminished When he sawe the kings nauie prepared and newe ships also to be furnished with other soldiours he durst not procede in this enterprise wherfore without assayling his enimies he directed his course an other way and vnloked for at Bell'Isle and there landed and took both the Isle and the castel The Rochellians perceiuing that Mongomerie was departed and therfore being without hope of ayde fortifyed the hauen all that they coulde wyth newe garrisons Notwithstāding before Mongomeries departure they sēt out one vnto him in a skyffe wylling him not to put himselfe in peryll for theyr sakes for they trusted yet in the goodnesse of GOD and were of that mynd that they would rather suffer any maner of extremitie than to yelde themselues into the handes of suche men as were full of all treason falshood and periurie After the which message Mongomerie sent a ship vnto the Citie with goonpouder and victuall which came safely into Rochell notwithstanding the kings force And after this as we sayd Mongomerie tooke a new viage After he had taried in the foresayde Ilande certayne dayes and knew not wel which way to take his souldiers also being obstinate and disobedient returned into England hauyng lost his trauayle with a fewe shippes the rest beyng left vppon the sea to robbe and spoyle one of the whiche whereof Monsieur Hippinnill was captayne went to the enimie To fortifie the siege of Rochel there came into the kyngs campe the fifth day of May foure thousand Switzers Therfore certaine dayes following were spent in skyrmishes losse of men beyng sustayned on both partes And amongst the chieftaines that were slaine Monsieur Cossine captaine of the kings garde beyng one of those whiche slew the Admiral was one CERTAINE Catholiques got vp vnlooked for vpon the bulwarke l'Euangile and tooke the watch of the same the warders being a sleepe some of the which they slew Whervpon if the townsmen had not succored them in time and resisted the other or if a greater number of the Catholiques had bene present the citie had bene in great daunger The next daye the townsmen gaue a woorthy charge vpon the Catholiques of whom they slew many There brake out of the citie fiue hundred at Cogne gate and charged the enemie being intrenched and suspecting no such thing by reason wherof they slewe many of them and put the rest to flight choked three of their great gunnes by driuyng into them crosse barres of iron As they were thus occupied there came succours from the kings campe and then began a sore skirmish Notwithstanding the townsmen brought with them into the citie eight of the catholikes Ensignes great plēty of armour apparel There were slayne in this skyrmish two hūdred catholikes or thereabouts twentie only of the townsmen were wāting The townsmen with great triūphe set vp on their walles those Ensignes which they had taken from their enemies The sixe and twentie day of this moneth the Catholiques began a newe batterie after the whiche they giue a freshe assaulte to the towne beyng the most notable of all the reste that happened in this siege The commyng of the Switzers was the cause of this assaulte who craued leaue of the Duke of Anjou that they might gyue an assaulte to the citie thereby to declare theyr loue towarde the king Therfore al theyr bandes set themselues in battaile aray betwene the well le Rouze about seuē of the clocke The which they of Cogne perceyuing discharged fiue great peeces the shot wherof fel among the thickest of them to theyr great damage Therefore they shyfted their standyng Also other bandes of the Catholiques were set in battayle aray in diuers places euē as if they would giue an assault In the meane tyme the great gunnes went off lustely on eyther part But the greatest hope of the Catholiques rested in their mines which were made in three seueral places The first myne hauing fire giuen vnto it did small hurte makyng a breach no bigger than for twoo men to enter at whiche breache the townsmen stopte with greate diligence Straite after the second was blowen vp with great force and the thyrde made a greate noyse ouerthrowyng a great parte of the wall notwithstanding so that the rubbell matter of the wall fell into the towne by the conuenient falling wherof the passage into the Citie was stopte agaynst the Catholiques The Duke of Anjou was present himself that by his presence he might encourage the souldiers And the firste onset was giuē by Mons d'Gaste but the townsmē so receyued him that he was constrayned to retire with great losse of hys men After him followed Mons d'Goaz who with his bande entring the breach with
Duke of Alba which loused from Antwerpe to carrie victuall to Middelburge part whereof they chased away and the rest came to Middelburge Furthermore the Prince of Orange tooke the towne of Mounts in Brabant The twentith of September the Orangians fought wyth happy successe vpon the coast of Amsterdam in the whiche fyght the Duke of Alba had a great ouerthrow with losse of a great number of his Shippes and also of his men The eleuenth day of October the Orangians after a long battayle fought vpon the sea got the victorie of the King of Spaynes nauie of whome they slue a great number and tooke the County Bossu Lord Admirall of the whole nauie In the beginning of December the Duke of Alba forsaking his authoritie of gouernment in the low countrey being Brussels by the authoritie and cōmission of the kings letters put ouer his said office to Lewis de Requizence great Commaunder of Castile and then prepared for his returne into Spayne THE new King of Polonia notwithstanding that the Ambassadors of Polonia made great hast found dayly new delayes to deferre his iourney whether it wer for the pleasure and delight which he had in his owne countrey or for greefe to leaue a more noble kingdome the assured possession whereof his mother had promised vnto him The king him selfe vrged his departure in somuch that it is reported he sayde in anger That eyther he or himselfe must needes goe into Polonia For the secret grudges of emulation which was in eyther of them could not be so couertly restrayned but that often times they brast foorthe The Queene loued the Duke of Aniou more than the king whose great towardnesse she greatly feared It is certainly reported that the Queene sayde to Henry beeing very carefull cōcerning his departure Be of good cheere only goe thou shalt not remayne long in Polonia By the rumor heereof many thought that the Queene meant little good vnto the King and that hereof that euill which happened within a while after vnto him proceeded the whiche verily I would not set downe if so be the same had not bin obiected vnto the Queene hir selfe by letters written by certayne Courtiers whiche knew well ynough the affayres of the court Yea it is most certayne that the Quene was so addicted vnto hir sonne Henry that she hated hir other two sonnes HENRY hauing couenaunted and agreed with hys brother concerning those thinges whiche appertayned to their affayres departed at the length from Paris the eyght and twenty of September The king sayd that he would bring him on his way to the boundes and limits of hys kingdome The which he could not performe for that he fel sicke of a soare feuer at Vitri a towne in Champaigne most menne thinking that he was poysoned Therefore the king tooke his leaue of his brother and went no further who wente through Germany as his iourney lay and was curteously entertayned of the Princes of the same notwithstanding he hearde them in euery place greeuously detest the murders of Fraunce the principall cause whereof was layd to his charge in obeying the wicked counsayles of hys mother About the same tyme Frauncis Hotomanus a famous Lawyer a man endued with godlinesse and singular learning published a booke which he intituled Francogallia and dedicated the same to Frederic Countie Palatine In the same booke the sayde Hotomanus declareth with exquisite reason what was the state of the kingdome of France in olde time bringing the same to memorie againe out of the ancient antiquities of the historie of France And he declareth that although the Frenche Gaules tooke in olde time theyr kings from the Nobilitie and therefore chose them suche kings as were come of kingly race had bin royally trayned and brought vp whether the same were of the number of their childrē or of their neere kinsmen yet neuerthelesse the kingdome of France of olde time was wont to be gyuen not by right of inheritance as a priuate patrimonie but by the iudgemēt free electiōs of the people For proofe wherof he bringeth many things out of the expresse words of the Testamēt of Charles the great out of the elections of Pharamund of the sonnes of Pipin of Charles and of Charlemain of Chilperic of Clothar of Ottho and of other kings of whome he hath made a lōg catalogue alleaging the very wordes of the histories notwithstāding so that the kingdome shuld be deuided by the decree consent of the states one while to one sometime to moe of the sonnes of the kings And that as the authority to choose kings so also the power to displace and depose them from their rule was in old time in the handes of the states of the people in the publique assembly of the Realm Therefore that kings wer created in France by fyrme lawes not tyrāts ordeyned with free authoritie power to do what soeuer them listeth For the which matter he bringeth many examples namely of the two Childerickes which kings were deposed frō the kingdome by the decree of the states of Theoderic which was displaced with Ebroin his Lord great master of Chilperic of Charles the grosse also of Ottho which was chosen king in stede of Charles the sonne of Lewis the stutter and he taketh the credite of their iudgements and most vrgent causes out of the very midst of the historie He sheweth also what things were specially handled in the solemne assembly of the states and also what was the authoritie of the same And first of al concerning the creating or displacing of a king secondly concerning peace warre and common lawes thirdly concerning greate honors high offices and gouernments of the common welth Fourthly concerning the assigning of the patrimonie in part to the children of the king being deceased and concerning the appointing of dowry to daughters finally concerning al those things which appertayne to the weale publique The power of the sayd assembly of States was such saieth he that without the authoritie or sentence of the same the king coulde determine nothing but must folowe the authoritie and will of the States which said authoritie and will were called The decrees of the states And now when as this kingdom of France hath cōtinued almost a thousand two hūdred yeeres ther are said to be in al this time only three houses of kings that is to say of the Merouins who taking their originall of Meroue continued that stock two hūdred fourscore three yeres of Charlouins who springing frō Charles the great grew in that stocke three hūdred thirty seuē yeres of Capenites who beginning at Hugh Capet haue now held the kingdome fiue hundred fourescore yeres The which Hugh Capet got the royal dignitie that Charlouins being deposed namely Lewis the fifth the .xxxj. king of France the .xij. king of the stocke of the Charlouins his children being dead in warde And then hee proueth by many examples that the royal dignitie stood
to be made Notwithstanding hee to whom this charge was committed was taken at Lions by the Lifetenant Mandelot and was kept in warde certayne monethes THE Queene was much troubled in mynde and very carefull for the auoyding of diuers dangerous straytes For she did perceiue that they of the religion were not only sproong vp in great number but also that they were more wyse and by the late successe also of matters more constant and couragious and that therefore shee should haue a sore conflict with them To these were added new enemies who hauing no regard to religion but only a care of ciuil affayres would haue the gouernment reformed and in better state And she was not ignorant how that the most famous of the nobles were both authors and also instruments of that counsaile Shee knew that hir sonne the Duke of Alancon was an enemy vnto hir gouernment furthermore that the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were very angry with the perill and dammage which they had receyued in their owne persons therefore the ambicious woman suspected that they also were of this counsaile to remoue hir from the gouernment of the Realme The Kings health bring past all hope of recouerie and the neere approachyng of his death was giuen out by his soothsayers whose helpe and counsaile the Queene greatly vsed which caused hir to feare least according to the custome of the lawes and ordinances of the Realme the gouernement of the same should bee set ouer vnto the Duke of Alancon whereby the counsailes and deuises of hir enemyes had an open way made for them to take effecte To take away these inconueniences the woman by long experience of matters and by gouernement in great affayres being more circumspect and subtil than the wisest purposed to prouide all meanes and wayes She ioyned pollicie and force together that she might not faile to bring hir purpose to passe She pretended the kings name in all causes in euery place whom notwithstanding shee made very seldome priuy to hir counsailes bicause he was sicke as she pretended She very carefully prouided that the kings armies should bee in a readines at hir commaundement vnder the colour of warre against Languedoc the which was certainly sayde to be prepared excepte they of the Religion in Languedoc would receyue these conditions commaunded in the Edicte of Rochell And the Countie D'Retes hauing receiued a great summe of money gathered souldiers together in Germany Also the end of hir policies was that the authors of the new sturres should be destroyed by a new murther Aboue the rest d'Anuil withstood these mischeuous deuises who being far from the Courte seemed plainly to make delay notwithstanding that he was oftentymes commaunded in the kings name to come at what tyme he being in a great and large countrey most fitte conuenient for his purpose by reason of the power of them of the religiō seemed to be in possibilitie to enioy both the kings armie and also the noble cities therin he beheld dayly other enemies whō the queene sawe to be lesse appliant to do iniurie Therfore there came oftentimes letters of the king to d'Anuil that eyther setting all excuse asyde leauing the prouince in peace he would come vnto the king or els veryly that he should be apprehended amidst these communications of peace And for this purpose M. Sansulpis and M. Villeroy were sent to d'Anuil vnder the colour of peace speciall commaundements of the Queene concerning this matter being giuen to M. Suz and Mongeron who in those partes were of great authoritie among the Catholiques On the other parte the Queenes enemyes had their secret counsailes the ende whereof was that an assembly of States might bee had euen by meere commaundement and that the gouernement of the Realme might be restored to a better state concerning the which matter what we know wee wil speake anon Therfore while the Queene sent often messengers into Languedoc concerning peace both d'Anuill was diligent in his affayres and also they of the Religion wished peace Neuerthelesse they of the religion made new delayes dayly by those cōmunicatiōs of peace which they called a collation and messengers were sent to and fro from the Courte into Languedoc These things thus continued from Ianuary vnto the moneth of March. AT THE laste Henry Valoys came into Polonia and was receyued with great pompe of the Polonians And after that the royall Funeralles belongyng vnto kings was celebrated for Sigismond who notwithstanding dyed in Iune in the yeere M.D.Lxxij the newe king was crowned in a great assembly of the nobles and people of Polonia at Cracouia by the Arche bishop of Guesuen the eightenth of February of this present yeere M. Mombrune towarde the ende of the moneth of March came with his armie into that parte of Daulphine which lyeth vppon the coast of the Riuer of Rosune and tooke certayne smal townes as Loriol Liberon Ale◠Gran and Roynac and repayred the decayed walles of Liberon and Loriol After this he made an inroade and inuasion of all that countrey violently assayling the gates of Valence of L'Crest and of Montile And he conspired against the most noble Cities and specially against Montile the which conspiracies the Catholiques turned to the destruction of many Vppon this occasion the noble men of the Religion which lay in corners vntill the tyme seeing the present perill that king ouer their heades came and ioyned themselues with Mombrune VVE SAYD before that Orange was taken by Glandag to giue occasions of warre Whilest he was absent Berchon by the helpe industrie of certayne of the Citizens of Orange tooke the Castell and the Citie notwithstanding parte of the townsmen were sore afearde and they also of the Religion which dwelt there aboutes as if Berchan would haue restored the Romishe Religion and euil entreated them of the religion Neuerthelesse he going about no new thing gaue thē to vnderstande that hee helde the Castell and the Citie in the name of his Prince that all Citizens without difference of Religion might liue peaceably according to the forme of the Edicte And so their neighbours of Auinion which seemed to be in possibilitie to get that Citie to the which they bare alway a priuie grudge were put out of all hope to obtayne the same Berchon was sayd to be very familiar with Cardinall Arminiae the Popes Legate but not without great suspicion of a summe of money receyued ABOVT the same tyme the Catholiques thought that they had occasion offered them to get Nismes by treasō There is a little towne neere vnto Nismes called Margaret of the which M. Santaial a noble man had the gouernement with a strong garrison who by the meanes of certayne of the Catholiques of Nismes delt with a certain captayn of the townsmen named Deron and promised a great summe of money to tell him by what meanes he might get the Citie The captayne by and by bewrayed this matter vnto M. Sanroman
long delay But he tooke Mountpellier Boucar Lunell and Pozenac and from Pozenac he was repulsed by the treason of a certaine Captayne to whom hee had committed both the Citie and also his daughter which was but two yeeres olde At the last by the kings commaundement M. Coconass and d'Mole were arayned in the Senat of Paris and were condemned of high treason against the kings person the state for which they were put to death and their goods confiscate to the King Rumors were spred abroad that the Momorencies and Marshall Cosse were the chiefe authors of their conspiracies and yet notwithstanding it is euidently knowen that neither Cononas nor d'Mole nor any of those which were apprehended had committed any such thing Men sayd that the Duke of Alanson sought to flee vnto Lodowic Nassau bicause he knew that treason was practised against him The Senate doubted to condemne them for this cause for that the house of Nassau were called by the king in his Edicte his frendes But to the ende the treason might appere by the confession of those that were apprehended the king pronounced Lodowic Nassau to be his enimy And so the Senate gaue sentēce against them Amidst these domesticall confusions of the courte all things were ordered either by blinde treason or els by mad violence Wyse men blamed much the lingering delay of the Marshals who deferring the tyme loste all occasions to bring any thing well to passe and so behaued themselues that they seemed neuer so much as to haue those matters in their thought Notwithstanding it was certainly reported that a great number of the nobilitie of France abhorring long ago the gouernement of the Queene and of straungers bicause they were not only reiected but were also in daunger of their lyfe to fill vp those furies on Saint Barthelmewes day had determined to reuyue againe the authoritie of the States and to reforme all things according to the prescript of the auncient lawes of the Realme To this also there was added a newe cause namely the dispayred health of the king Therefore he being dead it was sayd that their purpose was to giue the gouernement of the Realme vnto the Duke of Alanson in the absence of his brother which was next heire vnto the Crowne It was also necessarie for the peace and tranquilitie of the Realme that Religion should be prouided for We will in another place set downe the forme of that protestation in the which d'Anuill declareth the causes why he armed him selfe Treason also was practised against the Prince of Conde Who at that tyme was at Amiens the chiefe citie of Picardie And hauing intelligence of the treason went out of Amiens a hunting as he pretended according to his woonted manner and so comming home to his house making M. Tore one of the brethrē of Momorencie acquainted with his purpose came with all posting speed into Germany where he was very curteously receyued Within few dayes after the king of Nauar published a bil by which he clered himself from all suspiciō of the said cōspiracie against the king Men said that this was made by the subtil practise of the Queene that the hatred spite of the whole matter might light vppō the heades of the Marshals And thus he beginneth Bicause I vnderstand that certaine deceyuers haue dishonestly and wickedly spred abroad false rumors concernyng mee by the which to the dishonour of my name that duetie which I owe vnto my soueraigne Lord the King is brought in doubt as though I were partaker of that conspiracie lately reuealed at Sangerman I haue I say for this cause intreated the Kings maiestie to giue me leaue to write these things thereby euidently to signify my will vnto all men Therfore my desire is that all men know that the same matter is most false fayned such as neuer came in my mynde And I am so far from being giltie of this facte that I am rather perswaded according to the bonde both of nature and also of deuine and humane lawes to spende my lyfe and goods and to loose my frendes for the dignitie of my soueraigne Lord the King and the safetie of his faithfull subiectes and by all manner of meanes to withstand their enterprises who being Rebelles to the King doe trouble the peace and tranquilitie of the realme The lyke bill also was seuerally published by the Duke of Alanson VVE spake before concerning the comming of Countie Mongomerie into Normandy And hee was not long in the towne of Sanlo but M. Matigon the Kings Lefetenant of the lower Normandy beseeged the same So soone as Mongomerie sawe that the same was beseeged after deliberation had he went out of the towne with a hundred and threescore horsemen for he had not two hundred in all and came to Danfro which as we sayd before he had taken Danfro is a little town of the lower Normandy in the territorie of Passi the Duke of Alansons dominion which towne was hitherto obscure and now by the calamitie of Mongomerie made famous beyng walled rounde about with a weake wal yet notwithstanding fortified with a strong Castell all along the same ran the riuer of Meisne Mongomerie purposed for the refreshing of his horses to tarry there certayne dayes and then to ioyne him selfe to the succours of his fellowes which came dayly out of diuers partes of Normandy and of other quarters therabouts So soone as Mons Matigon heard hereof how that Mongomerie was within the walles of Donfro he came without delay to Donfro leauing parte of his armie at the seege of Sanlo and with the sounde of Trumpets gathered together from all partes a great number of those countrey men and sent vnto the King for more ayde There came therefore vnto him of the Kings Souldiers from all places the citie was beseeged and the walles sodenly battered with great guns Mongomerie at the first sought to deliuer him selfe out of the towne the which when he could not doe hee lefte the Citie and tooke the Castell He had with him scarce a hundred and fyftie Souldiers who being out of hope sought all occasions eyther by colour of eruption or by parley to flee vnto the enemie The Castell was battered with ordinance The fyrst charge Mongomerie valiantly withstoode to the great hurte of his enimies but when he sawe that his men fell away from him and that hee wanted things necessarie for the defence of hym selfe and the Castell hee desired to parley with M. Matigon and yelded him selfe and his men vnto hym vppon certayne conditions namely that hee and his might departe with their lyues that for certaine dayes hee might go whether hee would and that hee should departe without losse of lyfe in safetie so soone as he had deliuered vp the Castell And thus hee yelded vp the castell and hym selfe to M. Matigon Then the Kynges Souldiers runnyng through the breaches of the walles into the Castell slue whomsoeuer they met contrary to their fayth